Beijing Library

A new library opened in Beijing in February 2024. It is a modern yet timeless space dedicated to learning, sharing knowledge, and open discussion, celebrating the cultural richness of Beijing and China in general.

The architectural concept for the roof of the library creates a forest-like tree structure, where the shape of these trees is inspired by the leaves of the Ginkgo tree. Each tree acts as a building component distributed in a system that handles climate control, lighting, acoustic comfort, and disposal of rainwater. The trees are standardised and rotated on a 14x14 m grid. The height of the trees are approx. 22 m, and each tree consists of a 20.5 m concrete column and a 1.5 m steel blade on the top.Aiming to set new standards for sustainable library design, the new library is clearly different from traditional libraries and have a large focus on energy consumption and indoor climate. Modern technical solutions have been used for the project such as preheating the indoor air and diffusive air blowing.

Bollinger+Grohmann assisted with structural engineering during the competition and concept design phases.