Design for the east branch of Shanghai Library, which is set to be located in the city's Pudong New Area. The chosen design was created by the Danish firm Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects. [Photo/WeChat account: lujiazuijrc]

The design plan for the east branch of Shanghai Library, set to be located in the city's Pudong New Area, was recently unveiled and the development promises to bring local residents much in the way of services and access to resources.

The chosen design has been provided by Denmark-based Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects (SHL), whose project stood out from the numerous international architecture firms that filed applications.

The library, located near to Century Park, will cover a combined floor area of 110,000 square meters and will be divided into five different sections including an exhibition space, an academic research area, a conference room for academic exchange, and a center for international culture. The library will boast 4,000 seats and fill its shelves with over 4.8 million books. Built from glass and sleek metal, the library is trapezoid-shaped and, according to the artist designs provided, seems to float gracefully above Century Park.

Morten Schmidt, a SHL partner, said that a modern library is not only a place that stores and lends books to people but also one that can serve to enlighten, surprise, and inspire. Schmidt went on to say that he believes libraries should be places that people want to spend time in.

The library hopes to become a local scientific and cultural center that provides access to a variety of resources on subjects such literature, science, and social science thinking. The site also serves to give residents additional information on Shanghai's geography, history, culture, and range of attractions.

Wu Jianzhong, the former curator of Shanghai Library, believes the new east branch will have spaces for exhibitions and conferences and will enable residents to experience the latest in contemporary technologies such as robots and 3D printing.