Could you ever imagine that a place such as a library can be a reason of wonderment? For those who believe that a library can only be about a large building where one reads books, you could not be any more wrong! A library can also be pretty much about sightseeing - China has proven it!
The library is known as ‘The Eye of Binhai’ and it is located in the Binhai Cultural District in the port city of Tianjin in China. In case you are wondering the rationale behind the naming, take a close look at the picture below -
Yes, it does resemble a human eye. A collaborative effort between the Dutch design firm MVRDV and Tianjin Urban Planning and Design Institute (TUPDI) has resulted into the creation of this mammoth 3D-eyeball structure of the library.
A giant spherical auditorium, the library has been constructed on an area of 34,000 square meters. Inside the illuminated walls of its all-white atrium, this giant eyeball hordes a whopping 1.2 million books. The books are stacked into the wavelike walls, high and low. Within the very undulating motion of the walls, multiple staircases as well as seating arrangements for readers have been built. The collection of books here is extremely diverse, therefore making it an unquestionably favourite destination for bookworms for the weekends.
Building up this one-of-its-kind library has taken as few as three years. The building mainly comprises a capacious reading area occupying the ground floor and the beautiful lounge areas built at the center. But aside from these, there are meeting areas as well as audio/computer rooms that are situated at the top.
So why not experience this unique library by flying to China on your next holiday!Author : Satarupa Hajra