- Project: Zhangjiakou Library
- Architect: Tanzo Space Design
- Location: China, Hebei
- Year: 2021
- Photography: SHI Yunfeng
A Cultural Gateway to Hebei
Located in Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province, the Zhangjiakou Library stands as part of a greater cultural cluster that also includes the City Archives, Museum, and Planning Museum. Together, they form an integrated cultural hub set within the central canyon area, reflecting the city’s unique geography—surrounded by mountains on three sides.
The library, the largest of the ensemble, spans 22,000 m² and houses a collection of 1.1 million volumes with 2,100 reading seats. This scale positions it as both a local educational resource and a symbolic gesture of Zhangjiakou’s cultural renaissance, particularly as the city prepared to host events during the 2022 Winter Olympics.
Design Philosophy – Minimalism with Meaning
TANZOSPACE approached the library with the belief that “less is not empty but condensed; more is not crowded but appropriate.” By stripping away unnecessary decoration and focusing on clarity, the design embodies an economic aesthetic where spatial quality and atmosphere take precedence over ornament.
The façade is clad in recyclable perforated panels, evoking a contemporary interpretation of a miniature mountain landscape. This treatment reflects the surrounding terrain while providing shading and light modulation, softening Hebei’s intense sunlight and creating a filtered interior atmosphere.
Interior Spatial Experience
The library’s interior is organized around an atrium with integrated ceiling curtain walls, where platforms and main staircases define functional areas. Visitors encounter a sequence of layered light and shadow, achieved through the play of skylights and carefully calibrated openings.
Materiality is restrained:
-
Gray-white cement cladding creates a neutral backdrop.
-
Exposed wood textures bring warmth and tactility.
-
Filtered daylight becomes an architectural element, animating the reading spaces.
The design intentionally balances quiet contemplation with social interaction, offering flexible spaces for individuals and communities alike.
A Contemporary Public Library
The Zhangjiakou Library expands the role of libraries beyond book storage. It is conceived as a civic living room—a place where knowledge, social life, and cultural experiences intersect.
Key features include:
-
Youth and children’s areas with audiovisual zones, cinema corners, and reading caves.
-
A multi-functional hall in the atrium that doubles as theater or lecture hall.
-
Lattice modular design connecting book collections to social interaction.
-
Flexible spaces that can transform into galleries, recording studios, or concert halls.
Noise control is carefully integrated with sound-absorbing lattice elements, ensuring that large volumes remain acoustically comfortable.
Connection Between Inside and Outside
The outdoor plaza is paved with three-color terrazzo strips, extending interior design logic into the urban landscape. Plantings, stepped squares, and roof terraces introduce layers of greenery, strengthening the relationship between built form and natural surroundings.
The perforated façade also acts as a mediator: while sunlight pours through, reading areas are pushed inward, creating a promenade effect that blurs the line between interior architecture and theatrical stage design.
Social and Cultural Value
As a public institution, the Zhangjiakou Library serves as both knowledge repository and cultural catalyst. It integrates:
-
Technology, with intelligent management systems, self-service kiosks, and LED information screens.
-
Community, encouraging intergenerational encounters through open plans and flexible programming.
-
History, with a private museum showcasing Zhangjiakou’s role in the origins of Chinese civilization.
By combining books, performance, digital media, and exhibition, the library becomes a multidimensional cultural space—the “lungs of the city,” nourishing its intellectual and social life.
The Zhangjiakou Library by TANZOSPACE is more than a storage facility for books; it is a symbol of cultural identity and a prototype for future civic architecture in China. With its minimalist material palette, adaptable spaces, and layered interplay of light, it redefines how libraries can serve as dynamic hubs of learning, creativity, and community.
As Zhangjiakou transitions into an international meeting point, the library stands as a seed of cultural exchange, carrying the spirit of its history into the possibilities of tomorrow.
