Architecture

Otherworldly Wormhole Library overlooks South China Sea

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The Wormhole Library is already under construction and is expected to be completed in 2021
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The Wormhole Library will be built from concrete
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The Wormhole Library is already under construction and is expected to be completed in 2021
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The Wormhole Library will feature large glazed areas that can be slid open to allow the breeze to permeate within
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The Wormhole Library will feature terraced areas overlooking the coast
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The Wormhole Library will include rooflights to help illuminate the interior with natural light
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The Wormhole Library will host roughly 10,000 books
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The Wormhole Library will include a cafe
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The Wormhole Library's decor will be a mixture of concrete and wood
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"Curved sliding doors and retractable glass curtain walls not only provide views of the sea, but also enhance overall airflow and ventilation," says MAD
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The Wormhole Library will include a small reading area for children
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Resembling some kind of strange alien structure – which is something you can say about a good chunk of MAD Architects' previous output, to be fair – Wormhole Library is conceived as multipurpose destination for visitors to escape the bustle of every day life. The unusual project is already under construction and is expected to be completed in 2021.

The Wormhole Library is located on the coastline in Haikou, Hainan Province, facing the South China Sea. The building is part of a wider development push in the area that's being spearheaded by the Chinese government.

It's being constructed from concrete and its overall design is quite complex, with Swiss cheese-like holes on its roof to allow sunlight to permeate within through rooflights, as well as curves and voids for windows and shade. A CNC machine and 3D-printed tech are being used to help cast the concrete.

"The sensuously curved pavilion appears to be a 'wormhole' that transcends time and space," says MAD. "The intimately scaled structure is cast of white concrete as a unit. The curved concrete walls not only serve as organic architectural structure, but also connect the ceiling, the ground and the walls together. Holes of varying sizes allow the architecture to breathe and meanwhile let natural light flood the interior. The gray spaces of the exterior corridors provide shady spots for passers-by to stop and rest."

The Wormhole Library's decor will be a mixture of concrete and wood
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Its interior will feature a simple decor of concrete and wood and include a 690-sq-m (7,430-sq-ft) reading space with approximately 10,000 books. There'll be a café too, and a terrace area overlooking the coast. Additionally, there will be a 300-sq-m (3,230-sq-ft) public rest area with bicycle parking, public bathrooms, and showers. MAD also makes mention of open-air performances taking place and the renders depict an amphitheater in the grounds.

MAD has several ambitious projects under construction at the moment, including its Lucas Museum, hill-like sports campus, and a boat-shaped theater.

Source: MAD

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8 comments
aki009
10,000 books? That must be the sum total of Chinese Communist Party approved reading material.
Mike Johnson
Hard copy books (paper etc.) as well as as all other analog data is obsolete other than in virtual museums. If people just need to travel then keep them in motion buildings not the point.
buzzclick
Good one Adam. This beautiful organic structure is outstanding, especially since it's seaside. The choice of (unpainted) white concrete is very practical. Whereas MAD's Harbin Opera House. which is located NE of China, is covered in aluminum paneling to weather the freezing temperatures of Winter, we have here a temperate southern location so cement is appropriate. Of course, a white finish is also ideal for reflecting the sun's heat. I would love to live in a home design that is a scaled down version. I have a home library of about 2,500 books. Now I may not read them as often as I used to since I have computers, but I still cherish the way they make my living room feel cozy and inviting, and this effect is repeated here. No one is discouraged from bringing their laptops or readers. Besides, there's many (more) libraries in the USA, and people aren't screaming that they're obsolete. Perhaps the Chinese still love to read hard copies, so what? I have two concerns: all the images show only a few people. What if there were many more? Second, I think Wormhole is a terrible name for this building.
Nelson Hyde Chick
Mike Johnson, paper books will never be obsolete because it is such a better experience reading on paper than reading from a screen.
Shady Brady
What Nelson said!
joe46
looks like star trek voyager without it's engines :)
Mike Johnson
Naturally if governments insist (by force backed law) to continue to build library buildings and print paper books we must have them along with 8 mm film strips but barring these forceful interventions the old media would fade away along with the infrastructure and redundant employment also another imposed public expense.
foxpup
Such Irony!! A beautiful building and a useless communist censored and propaganda-filled library. Like graves of the wealthy dead, beautiful and inspiring on the surface but filled with dead filth within. The level of irony is so strong that the situation is almost a work of art in itself, mixing the divine and diabolical in an amazing contrast.