Shanghai Library East expands the scope of Shanghai’s historic central library system through the creation of a place for social, cultural and intellectual exchange – supported by a humanistic landscape design from ASPECT Studios.
ASPECT Studios focused on making this piece of civic infrastructure a functional and aesthetic extension of the surrounding Century Park. A core tenet of the landscape design was to express a range of scales – from the library as a grand emblem of modern Shanghai, down to the experience of reading a book under a tree.
The main library building, designed by Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects, opens up to a series of landscaped courtyards and gardens designed by ASPECT Studios. These spaces extend the interior program – whether it be reading rooms, a dedicated performance space or a children’s library – outside. A “knowledge plaza,” children’s garden and a bamboo forest perched on the upper levels are among these landscape extensions.
A water-sensitive urban design approach taken from the outset means sponge city principles are tightly woven into the project. Water harvesting, recycling, and rain gardens are used to manage urban water flows in an environmentally conscious way, providing a sustainable landscape for the community and city.