The competition to design Wuhan’s new library, which will eventually rank among the biggest in China, has been won by MVRDV. The expansive project includes reading and studio areas, different study environments, and connections to the neighbourhood through three significant apertures that showcase interior life and welcome people within. The unusual structure, which is over 140,000 square metres in size, adjusts its volume to reflect its location at the meeting point of two major rivers in Wuhan and has become a well-known landmark for the city.
- Location: China Mainland
- Year: 2022
- Surface: 140000 m²
- Client: Wuhan Urban Construction Group
- Programmes: Educational, Cultural
- Themes: Architecture, Public, NEXT
The Wuhan Library will incorporate literature, information services, as well as scientific and technical innovation and research resources. It will be situated at a prominent location close to the Baofeng overpass in Wuhan’s Central Business District. The new library will boost Wuhan’s urban economy while expanding the city’s public information service system and meeting functional needs in terms of reading, learning, communication, and innovation.
The environment created at a river’s confluence also has an impact on interior spaces. Broad ground-floor rooms enable public circulation patterns to flow through the structure, while stepped terraces on books evoke sculptural canyons. The library’s various activities are housed in pavilion-like locations on the terraces, with quiet reading rooms and group study spaces defining the topography of the bookshelves. Thus, the centre “reading canyon” transforms into the focal point that connects all elements of the structure.
In order to reduce energy usage in Wuhan’s hot temperature, many measures are done. Louvers are incorporated onto the building’s façade in “a bookshelf-like arrangement.” In the places that require the most shade, these louvres are arranged more closely together. Additionally, Lange cantilevers offer shade, and openable components permit fresh air ventilation. The library’s flowing roof design incorporates solar panels to supply the structure with clean energy. The major public areas are shaded by the northwest corner of the building, while the outer spaces are landscaped with tall trees to offer cooling. Utilizing native plant species minimises upkeep requirements.
