Work begins on Wormhole Library that “transcends time and space”

WORK has begun on what China hopes will be a new icon for the city of Haikou - a futuristic library designed by architecture studio MAD.

The library has been designed to resemble a “wormhole that transcends time and space”, with a curving, dramatic form that appears lifted straight from science-fiction.

Above and Below: The Wormhole Library evokes fictional settings with its dreamlike form (images courtesy of MAD).

Cast from white concrete, the building will use a framework that is CNC cut and 3D-printed so as to retain its continuous form.

The concrete will be used to hide all of the building’s electrics and plumbing, so as to reduce clutter.

Above: The library sits on the coast of the South China Sea. Below: "Reading tunnels" will contain places for children to enjoy books ( images courtesy of MAD).

A two-storey reading room that will house more than 10,000 books will sit at the library’s centre, while a reception, cafe, office, and VIP room will be on the ground floor.

The ceiling will be interspersed with large holes to provide natural light into the rooms.

The library’s envious position will also allow for dramatic views of the South China Sea, observable from the building’s rooftop terrace.

Above and Below: The library contains spaces for reflection and reading (images courtesy of MAD).

The project is part of a larger rejuvenation of the Haikou Bay coastline, with seven other pavilions planned within Century Park.

The Wormhole Library is just the latest in a series of high profile Chinese projects for MAD, including the Yiwu Grand Theatre and the Shenzhen cultural park.