Bejing City Libarary: A new landmark in the city's sub-centre

"The newest internet sensation." "A new landmark in the city's sub-centre." "360 degrees of breathtaking design." "China's Most Beautiful Library." ... These are just a few accolades circulating online for the Beijing City Library, constructed by China Railway Construction Engineering Group. It's a big hit even before its official opening.

On December 27th 2023, this "Forest Book Garden" took root in the green heart of the city and officially opened its doors.

About the Library

Location: Greenheart Park Start-Up Area
Building Area: Approximately 75,000 square meters
Height: Approximately 22.3 meters

The library features a collection of antiquarian literature, open-shelf reading areas, lecture theatres, and other functional spaces. It has a daily capacity of up to 8,000 people, serving as a think tank based in the sub-centre and extending its influence to Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei.

Let's take a tour of the Beijing City Library together!

Step into the Library

Upon entering, you are greeted by the meandering "valley foyer," also known as "Ginkgo Valley." This area is flanked by two three-story "mountains of books." The surface of the "Book Mountain" is constructed with perforated aluminum sheets arranged in a stacked hierarchy. Wood-colored arcuate annular bands cascade upwards, reminiscent of distant mountains in an ink painting.

The long "steps" on either side of the "mountain of books" symbolize both the idea that books are the ladder of human progress and the diligent path of scholarly pursuit.

Ginkgo Valley features 144 forest-like columns rising from the floor, supporting a huge roof "canopy" adorned with layers of ginkgo leaves. Sunlight pours down, creating a warm and bright atmosphere.

Design Highlights

The library spans 16,000 square meters, boasting the world's largest open reading space without partitions. It features the country's first self-supporting glass curtain wall system, composed of 276 large glass ceramic panels. The main entrances on the north and south elevations have monolithic glazing, each standing 16 meters high, 2.5 meters wide, and weighing 11.5 tonnes, making them the largest and heaviest glass plates in China.

The high transparency and openness of the glass façade allow ample daylight to enter, blurring the boundaries between the indoor reading area and the outdoor forest landscape, creating a unique experience of architecture enveloped in nature.

Unique Spaces

Wander through the "mountain of books" and explore various reading areas:

• Intermountain Reading Area: Follow trails like the Spring Broussonetia Trail and the Summer Ink Trail, surrounded by layers of books.
• Children's Reading Area: A tranquil, fairy-tale land with wooden bookshelves and house-like components.
• Antiquarian Reading Area: Decorated with a focus on solemnity and calmness, featuring modern roof lighting that blends the past with the present.
• Other Areas: Non-heritage display area, 24-hour library, leisure reading area, art literature area, and meeting rooms, catering to the diverse reading and learning needs of all groups.

Innovative Features

Mechanical Book Library:

Located on the ground floor, this library uses an advanced, fully automated intelligent mechanical system. It spans about 3,000 square meters and is up to 16 meters deep, housing 7.1 million books. Equipped with 13 stacker cranes, 8 AGV handling robots, and a complete set of automatic sorting equipment, the library can automatically manage book borrowing, sorting, and handling.

Intelligent devices such as smart bookcases, smart book delivery robots, and assisted picking systems are integrated to enhance the library's functionality. Readers can search and borrow books via smart desktops or mobile phones, and within just 15 minutes, the specified literature is delivered to them.

Experience the Library

Walking through the underground book depository feels like entering a treasure trove of knowledge. Some books are dusty, with slightly yellowed pages, giving them an antique look and feel. For those eager to explore the secrets of knowledge, this could be the treasure they've been searching for.

Conclusion

Stand in front of the window and watch the clouds rise, or sit silently under a tree and savor the fragrance of books. The Beijing City Library awaits you.

We'll see you there.