Snøhetta, a firm renowned for reimagining civic spaces, approached the design of the Beijing Library with a similar ambition. Located in Tongzhou District, the emerging sub-center of Beijing, this vast reading space is positioned as an architectural landmark and a cultural catalyst for the region. The project arrives thirty-five years after Snøhetta’s seminal Bibliotheca Alexandrina, offering a chance to evaluate how the firm has evolved its approach to library design.
Beijing Library Technical Information
- Architects1-9: Snøhetta
- Location: Lv Xin Road Courtyard No.1, Building No.3, Tongzhou District, Beijing, China
- Client: Beijing Planning and Natural Resource Bureau
- Groos Area: 75,000 m2 | 807,000 Sq. Ft.
- Project Year: 2018 – 2023
- Photographs: © Yumeng Zhu
It is the love people have for books that has made libraries survive the digital age and hold new potential to give back more to the city and its public. It is up to us to reinterpret the relationship between body, mind, and the surroundings to rekindle the joy of reading away from the screen. Libraries are here to stay.
– Kjetil Trædal Thorsen, Co-Founder and Partner at Snøhetta
Beijing Library Photographs
Spatial Composition and Architectural Language
Once presumed to be an endangered typology in the digital era, the public library is experiencing a profound reinvention. While the internet has made information more accessible than ever, physical libraries must now offer more than just books—they must create spaces that foster intellectual engagement, community interaction, and immersive experiences that digital platforms cannot replicate.
The Beijing Library is a study in fluid spatial organization. The design eschews traditional compartmentalization in favor of a terraced, sculpted landscape, creating a space where movement and knowledge intertwine seamlessly.
Organizing Principles:
At the heart of the building is the “Valley,” a meandering circulation spine that echoes the path of the nearby Tonghui River. This element is more than a functional corridor; it orchestrates movement and dictates the spatial experience. Flanking the Valley are terraced “Hills,” which serve as flexible platforms for seating, reading, and informal gatherings. This strategy transforms the library into a topographic experience, where levels shift gently to create a sense of discovery and engagement.
Unlike conventional reading rooms defined by rigid partitions, the Beijing Library blurs distinctions between furniture and structure. Seating is carved into the landscape, bookshelves merge with circulation paths, and informal gathering spaces emerge organically. This results in an undulating interior terrain that allows visitors to choose between openness and seclusion, an important feature in a contemporary knowledge-sharing environment.
Materiality and Sensory Qualities:
Snøhetta’s use of materials is critical in shaping the library’s atmosphere. The dominant use of glass ensures maximum transparency, reinforcing the library’s connection with its natural surroundings while inviting diffuse daylight deep into the interior. The structural columns, inspired by ginkgo trees, introduce an element of biomimicry, referencing the native flora of China. These tree-like supports create a canopy effect, filtering light and lending a sense of shelter without compartmentalization.
Beijing Library Context and Cultural Dialogue
Positioned as a cornerstone of Tongzhou’s cultural transformation, the Beijing Library is more than an isolated architectural object; it is part of a broader urban strategy. Given Snøhetta’s legacy in library design, a comparison between Bibliotheca Alexandrina and the Beijing Library is essential. While Bibliotheca Alexandrina emphasized monumental symbolism, the Beijing Library appears more fluid and integrated with its environment.
Tongzhou’s status as Beijing’s sub-center implies that cultural institutions will serve residents and attract visitors from the city’s core. The Beijing Library, situated amidst emerging transit networks, is strategically placed to contribute to this vision.
Snøhetta subtly integrates references to China’s literary and natural heritage. The ginkgo tree, a species that has existed for 290 million years, becomes an architectural motif, symbolizing endurance and intellectual growth. Similarly, the topographic interior draws inspiration from classical Chinese landscapes, which intertwine nature and culture.
Sustainability and the Future of Library Design
Sustainability is central to the project, and the Beijing Library has achieved China’s highest green building standard (GBEL Three Star). The project integrates a highly rationalized structural grid and modular components, minimizing construction waste. Its ginkgo-inspired columns house concealed systems for climate control and lighting, demonstrating an efficiency-driven approach to detailing.
Additionally, the Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS) enhances accessibility to vast book collections while reducing the spatial footprint of traditional stacks.
A New Era for Library Design
The Beijing Library by Snøhetta is a remarkable example of modern architecture blending spatial innovation, material expressiveness, and environmental responsibility. It reaffirms libraries’ role as essential public spaces, fostering knowledge-sharing and community interaction. Integrating architecture with landscape and culture sets a compelling precedent for future civic architecture, ensuring that libraries continue to evolve in an increasingly digital world.
Beijing Library Plans
Beijing Library Image Gallery
About Snøhetta
Snøhetta is a globally renowned architecture and design firm founded in 1989 in Norway. It is recognized for its transdisciplinary approach that integrates architecture, landscape, and interior design. With projects spanning cultural, civic, and commercial sectors, Snøhetta has shaped iconic structures such as the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the Oslo Opera House, and the National September 11 Memorial Museum Pavilion. The firm emphasizes environmental sustainability, contextual sensitivity, and innovative design solutions, continuously pushing the boundaries of contemporary architecture.
Credits and Additional Notes
- Executive Architect: ECADI (East China Architectural Design & Research Institute)
- Structural, Geotechnical, and Civil Engineer: ECADI
- Cost Consultant: ECADI
- Building Sustainability Engineer: ECADI
- Façade & BMU Engineer: Eckersley O’Callaghan, Meinhardt
- Lighting Designer: ECADI
- Main Contractor: China Railway Construction Engineering Group
- Building Height: 22.3 meters
- Certification: Green Building Evaluation Label (GBEL) – “China Three Star”
