An aerial view of the soon-to-open Longhua Library.  Photos from the WeChat account "龙华文体云"

Longhua Library’s new venue will open to the public on Aug. 22 at the Luhu Art Center in Guanhu Subdistrict, adding a major new reading and cultural facility to the district.

Covering approximately 32,400 square meters, the library has two underground levels and four above-ground floors. It provides more than 1,800 seats and is designed to hold 1.1 million books.

The interior takes inspiration from a forest. Concrete-filled steel columns support the building’s wide spans while resembling trees, and natural light filters into the reading areas. The design reflects the library’s setting between the wooded hills and the waters of Luhu.

A directory sign lists the reading areas and visitor facilities across the four floors of the new Longhua Library.

The first floor is primarily designed for children, teenagers and families. Its facilities include picture-book and parent-child reading areas, separate sections for readers ages 6 to 12 and 12 to 18, a children’s cinema, a building-block workshop and an immersive art space.

The library also provides accessible reading services for people with visual impairments. An automated book storage system and virtual reality facilities offer additional ways to explore its collections.

Upper floors offer quieter spaces for adult readers. Collections cover literature, social sciences, natural sciences, foreign-language publications and literature from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. Dedicated facilities include a reading area for older adults, study and discussion rooms, an audiovisual room and a local history space documenting Longhua’s development.

Other facilities include a music experience center, lecture hall, exhibition spaces and a book donation and exchange center.

Longhua Library’s new venue forms part of the Luhu Art Center, a major cultural complex incorporating performing arts, public art and library facilities.

Add: 19 Ping’an Road, Songxuan Community, Guanhu Subdistrict, Longhua District （龙华区观湖街道松轩社区平安路19号）

Tram: Longhua Tram Line 1, Dabutou Station (大布头站）