Published on : 23/01/2024
Speaking of Longhua District in Shenzhen, I believe everyone is no stranger to this place, because it is home to Sam's Club and Costco, the two hypermarkets which beloved by Hong Kong residents. Actually, Longhua District also has a highly noticeable new hi-tech landmark, which is the Shenzhen Library North Hall.
So, how smart is the Shenzhen Library North Hall that owns the largest intelligent book storage system in China? What features does it have?
Shenzhen Library North Hall | Geometrical rules line design exudes simple beauty
Located in Longhua District, Shenzhen, the Shenzhen Library North Hall is the third branch after the Main Library of Shenzhen Library and the Bao'an Library. It officially opened at the end of December 2023 and is one of the new cultural landmarks in Shenzhen.
The overall design of the Shenzhen Library North Hall adopts a simple style, with white diamond elements running through the whole building. Through the refraction of sunlight, it has layered geometric shadow lines, making the library more three-dimensional and attractive even from the outside!
It is worth mentioning that the Shenzhen Art Museum (New Venue), which is also one of the new landmarks, stands next to the library. Both were jointly designed by KSP Jürgen Engel Architects and Zhubo Design Firm, and both are unique.
Read more: New landmark in Shenzhen! Three must-see exhibitions of Shenzhen Art Museum (New Venue)
Shenzhen Library North Hall | Diversified functional zoning, both beautiful and practical
The Shenzhen Library North Hall has a construction area of about 72,000 square meters, which is equivalent to about 7.5 Hong Kong Central Library. It is divided into 6 floors above ground and 3 floors underground. It is designed to store 8 million books and provides 2,500 seats.
When you enter the library, you will be the first to see the six-storey "Wall of Books" that surrounds the atrium, creating a stunning visual impact. The entire reading space adopts an open design, and the sun can directly shine into the atrium, making the environment bright and comfortable.
In addition to the spacious and beautiful space, the division of the library's functional areas is also very comprehensive. It includes multi-functional learning rooms, humanities and technology exhibition halls, general exhibition halls, digital twin laboratories, library expert research rooms, and other interactive spaces. Citizens can participate in various themed lectures, seminars, and other special activities in these places.
There are also a number of stamp collecting areas in the library, so stamp collectors may wish to come and look for treasures!
Shenzhen Library North Hall | The biggest underground intelligent stereo book stack
As a new generation of high-tech cultural landmark, the biggest highlight of the Shenzhen Library North Hall is the intelligent stereo book stack that people call the "magic book collection cabinet".
The intelligent stereo book stack is located on the third floor underground of the library, with a total area of about 3,000 square meters, which is close to the size of 7 standard basketball courts. It can accommodate more than 4 million physical books, which is currently the largest underground stereo book stack in China.
There are more than 70,000 blue boxes of books on the shelves of the 18-metre-high stereo book stack.
The 18-meter-high stereo book stack, with more than 70,000 blue boxes full of books displayed on the steel bookshelf. Whenever a reader places an order for a book, the robotic arm starts travelling up and down the steel shelves to pick up the book. The scene is like the "Space Elevator" in the movie "The Wandering Earth", with a full sense of technology.
Then, the books to be taken will be transferred to the workstation through the book sorting, vertical search and other intelligent systems. After registration by the staff, the books will be automatically sent to the designated floor through the vertical track.
If you reserve in the library, the book can be delivered to your hand from the vast sea of books underground in the fastest 10 minutes, which is very efficient!
Simply make a reservation at 10am on Fridays and 10am on Saturdays on the "Shenzhen Library" WeChat Official Account, and you will have a chance to see the sci-fi scene of the intelligent stereo book stack close and personal!
However, this event can only be visited on weekends, and there are only 2 occasions per day, each limited to 10 people, so remember to pay attention to the time for booking!
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Tourist information
Shenzhen Library North Hall
Address: No. 30 Tenglong Road, Longhua District, Shenzhen
Opening hours: 9:00-18:00
Subway: Line 4 or 6, exit A1 of Hongshan metro station, about 300 meters walk.
Bus: Take bus B917, M379, M381, get off at Hongshan Subway Station (bus station), and then walk.
