China Opens World’s Coolest Library With 1.2 Million Books, And Its Interior Will Take Your Breath Away

Book lovers, pack your bags – one of the coolest libraries in the world has just opened up in China and it is absolutely gorgeous.

The Tianjin Binhai Library, also called “The Eye of Benhai” because of its mirrored spherical centerpiece depicted above, has opened up in the Binhai Cultural District of Tianjin earlier this month.

The 5-story library features a dazzling futuristic interior with rippling shelves and layered terraces that double as steps and seats.

For the more practically-minded viewers who are eyeing the books that are out of reach on the taller shelves, don’t worry – the designers used aluminum plates instead of actual literature on the higher terraces in order to keep up with the library’s aesthetic.

The library spans over 34,000 meters (366,000 square feet) and can hold as many as 1.2 million books.

The lower levels are made up of children’s play areas, lounges, and reading rooms, while the upper floors are mainly offices and audio, computer, and meetings rooms.

Designed by the Dutch architecture firm MVRDV in partnership with Tianjin Urban Planning and Design Institute (TUPDI), the library was completed after just three years of construction.

The library is a part of the city’s effort to improve the region’s cultural infrastructure. According to MVRDV, the building acts not only as an education center but as a connector from the park into the cultural district.