After more than three years' renovation, the former Shanghai Library will reopen to the public as the new Yangpu Library in early October, reports Shine.
The library located on Heishan Lu occupies an area of 15,170 square meters. It was originally one of the core constructions of the “New Shanghai Initiative” from the 1930s, which determined Yangpu District as the new city center and a range of public infrastructures were put in place.
Designed by Dong Dayou, who also directed the majority of the projects of the "New Shanghai Initiative", construction on the old Shanghai Library began in August 1934. In the year that followed, the library opened to the public even though the construction work ceased abruptly due to the incoming Japanese invasion,, and was shut down not long after.
Image via The Paper
The complex was later occupied by the Tongji Middle School, before being abandoned once again when the school relocated. It wasn’t until 2015, when the Yangpu Cultural Bureau decided to thoroughly revamp the library structure and restore it to its former glory.
Image via The Paper
"It's quite a challenge for us," Li Ping, deputy librarian of Yangpu Library, explained to The Paper. "Many parts of the building were severely damaged since it had been deserted for a long time." According to Li, conservators had not only restored the library to its original look, but also completed construction on the unfinished section based on Dong's original architectural plan.
The most iconic feature of the library would be the 'peacock gate' in the main hall. Apart from this, restored ceiling paintings and glazed roof tiles also highlight the building's enduring aesthetic.
Image via The Paper
Image via pockie518/Dianping
Image via jiushikanbudaowo/Dianping
Although the exterior of the library looks roughly the same as it was back in the days, the interior has been upgraded and improved. Equipped with top-notch technologies, the three-story library is said to have a collection of 650,000 books and a capacity to sit more than 2,000 people.
Images via dfic
We will follow up with a 'Step Inside' feature in due course.
[Cover image via Sohu]
