The Digest | New Jersey Magazine
Issue link: https://magazines.vuenj.com/i/1526681
DID YOU KNOW Tianjin Binhai Library is MVRDV's second completed project in Tianjin. The library's predecessor was the TEDA Urban Fabric, a 3 million square-foot mixed-use high and low- rise housing and retail complex that was completed in 2009. MVRDV's design approach focuses on the urban landscape, the public realm, and the influence of architecture on the everyday lives of its inhabitants and users. e Eye of Binhai. "Not being able to touch the building's volume we 'rolled' the ball-shaped auditorium demanded by the brief into the building and the building simply made space for it." Winy Maas, co-founder of MVRDV explained in a recent press release. "e angles and curves are meant to stimulate different uses of the space, such as reading, walk- ing, meeting and discussing. Together they form the 'eye' of the building: to see and be seen." While its collection of books is expected to reach 1.35 million, the distant and unattainable shelves on the library's interior walls above are actually stocked with digitally printed images of books. However, the library does not fall short in its offering. e monumental main room is primarily intended for socialization and reading. With roughly 200,000 books available, the jaw-dropping landscape of shelves is also equipped with 1,500 seats in its reading area. e five-story book lover's fantasy displays floor-to-ceiling bookcases that cascade the walls. e lower level is sup- ported by subterranean service spaces, book storage, and a large archive. Along the perimeter of the interior and ac- cessed through the main hall are educa- tional facilities. e ground level allows visitors to easily access the reading lounge, the auditorium, and the main entrance. Lopez says, "it becomes a social space that also promotes reading and inspiration." e first and second floors consist pri- marily of reading rooms, meeting rooms, offices, computer and audio rooms and two rooop patios. e contours continue along the two full glass facades and connect it to the adjacent public corridor outside. Although access to the upper bookshelves from behind the atrium was not included in the final construction phase, there are talks about amendments underway to realize the full version of the library in the future. VUE ON | DESIGN 68 VUENJ.COM