Floating Chip Library

Floating Chip Library is an innovative architectural design that reimagines the traditional concept of a public library through its distinctive suspended structure and dynamic spatial configuration. This contemporary architectural masterpiece, designed by Jinyu Zhang, features a revolutionary steel truss roof system that suspends the floor plates from above, creating an ethereal floating effect that earned the project its evocative name. The structure, spanning 100 meters in length, 45 meters in width, and reaching 25 meters in height, employs a sophisticated combination of steel, concrete, and wood materials to achieve its remarkable floating appearance. The design's most distinctive feature is its liberation of ground-floor space through an innovative top-down force transmission system, creating an open, flexible environment that serves as an urban living room for community engagement. The library's irregular skin, absolutely open ground floor, and integrated roof garden contribute to its striking visual presence, while a compact core houses the main collection of books and new media resources. This groundbreaking project, which earned a Bronze A' Design Award in the Architecture, Building and Structure Design category, demonstrates exceptional technical achievement in structural engineering while prioritizing social interaction and cultural exchange. The design philosophy emphasizes the transformation of traditional library spaces into dynamic, cross-cultural platforms that foster community engagement and learning. The project's innovative approach to public space design, completed in 2012 and showcased at the 2014 Shenzhen Biennale, represents a significant advancement in contemporary architectural thinking, particularly in its creative resolution of technical challenges and its contribution to urban social fabric enhancement.

Author: Adam Dawson

Keywords: contemporary architecture, suspended structure design, public library innovation, urban community space, structural engineering advancement, cultural infrastructure design

SOURCES:
https://competition.adesignaward.com/98579

Help us improve the Design+Encyclopedia, contribute your alternative definition for Floating Chip Library today!

About the Design+Encyclopedia
The Design+Encyclopedia is a crowd-sourced reference of information on design. Unlike other crowd-sourced publications on design, the Design Encyclopedia is edited and actively monitored and publishing is only possible after review of submitted texts. Furthermore, editors of the Design Encyclopedia are mostly consisting of award winning designers who have proven their expertise in their design respective fields. Information posted at design encyclopedia is copyrighted, you are not granted a right to use the text for any commercial reasons, attribution is required. If you wish to contribute to the design encyclopedia, please first register or login to A' Design Award and then start a new design encyclopedia entry.