As an integral part of the city's major cultural facilities, the construction of the east branch of the Shanghai Library will begin Wednesday in Pudong New Area. It is slated to open in 2020.

The east branch will sit between Shanghai Science and Technology Museum and Century Park. The structural area will cover 115,000 square meters.

After opening, it will provide nearly 6,000 seats, at least 4.8 million books and more than 200 lectures per year. The number of annual visitors is anticipated to surpass 4 million.

The project went through an international bidding process and three rounds of evaluation. Eventually, Danish design team Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects (SHL) won the bid.

Last week, Shanghai Library director Chen Chao and a member of the design team, Chris Hardie, held lectures at Shanghai Library to share their design concepts for the east branch.

Afterward, the Global Times pulled Chen and Hardie aside to glean some additional insight into the historic project.

GT: What functions will the east branch have?

Chen: There is a common view among people that a library is not only for reading, but in fact it is also a space for lifelong learning and a space for communication. As the number of readers in Shanghai Library on Huaihai Road continues to increase (despite the popularity of the Internet), its current services no longer meet the needs of local readers.

Our goal, then, is to build a comprehensive library with popular publications and also a wide variety of thematic zones. To meet the needs of the people of Shanghai as well as the city's cultural, scientific and technological development, there will be themes for music, art, design, performing arts, law, health, frontier technology, genealogy, cultural and so on. The east branch will also have children's service area, an area for the elderly and a handicapped area.

GT: What will the east branch look like?

Chen: Like a big jade with two floors underground and seven floors above ground. Nearly 80 percent will be open to readers. The collections and the borrowing and reading area are all in one space. The existing Shanghai Library has a total area of 83,000 square meters, but only 20,000 square meters are for public use.

GT: Why did you choose Danish design team SHL?

Chen: This Danish design team stood out from more than a dozen applicants. Shanghai values its vision for the future. We do not pursue gorgeous architecture just for its looks, but also for the function of serving the future. This team's design was simple and practical.

GT: Considering the differences between China and Europe in terms of culture and philosophy, were there any conflicts when you were planning the new hall?

Hardie: Different cultures and philosophies can be found all over the world, and we experience this when we work in places like Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand and, of course, China. However, there is always one key thing that binds us together, and that is people. Our aim is to not duplicate or mimic different cultures when we work in different countries; our goal is to create spaces that allow cultures and philosophies to come through the people who will ultimately use the libraries we design.

GT: What are the most important and indispensable parts of a library?

Hardie: By far the most important part of a library is the people. A library is a true "people's building," and we must design it to ensure the spaces work well for people. We believe in the idea of "collection to connection" - that libraries of the future must be both collection-oriented and socially oriented.

GT: What design inspirations did you have?

Hardie: The project was conceived as a singular monolithic object floating above the tree canopy within the park. The main library floats above two pavilions that will house a 1,000-seat performance venue, exhibition and events space and a dedicated children's library, that will all open up toward a series of landscaped courtyards and gardens.

The story is written by Zhou Xinyu. Chen Shasha contributed to the story.