Ningbo Zhongshuge, bookstore or mirror maze?
Ningbo is the second largest city in Zhejiang province , about two hours south of Shanghai, and also one of the busiest ports in the world.
If you haven't traveled to the country or aren't a fan of Chinese culture you may not have heard much about it, but here is** the oldest private library in China**. Tian Yi Ge It was founded in 1516 by the Ming dynasty, and at its height, it managed to house a collection of up to 70,000 specimens.
Ningbo and its history are more than 7,000 years old , for this reason it is one of the richest cities at a cultural and historical level. Its 8 million inhabitants are familiar with libraries and bookstores, although the newly opened Ningbo Zhongshuge breaks all the molds.
This wonder is a book store.
X-Living has once again outdone itself to create a spectacular new bookstore in China . At Traveler.es we have told you about the two stores located in one of the fastest growing cities in the world, Chongqing . If the first seemed to immerse the client in an Escher painting, the second invited him to enter a world of tunnels full of books.
For Ningbo Zhongshuge, the architects and designers have drawn inspiration from the East China coast , where the ocean coexists with the mountains. The result is the creation of a local oasis and a reflection of what the city has been and is.
Light and colors have been key to recreating the cultural and historical past of the city.
COLORS AND LIGHT, A REFLECTION OF THE CITY
Very high ceilings, as in most of its bookstores, stained glass windows and giant mirrors play and overlap in Ningbo Zhongshuge creating, more than a bookstore, a reading labyrinth. Earth tones, black and beige predominate on the shelves , while white illuminates rooms such as the cafeteria or a small amphitheater reserved for literary events. The black walnut symbolizes the rock carved by the constant flow of water, which in this area of China is usually abundant.
In its 1,230 square meters there is space for two floors that are joined by a staircase that emerges almost by surprise and that is subtly accompanied by infinite shelves and mirrors towards the ceiling.
“Under the warm light,** an elegant and calm reading atmosphere** is unleashed, which perfectly condenses the readers' concentration. It is under this special atmosphere that the value of time increases and the operation of the bookstore is also revitalized”, they explain on their website.
From its highest point reserved for the forum you can see the entire bookstore from a bird's eye view . “The high point of the room offers a bird's-eye view of the entire space while the book walls are placed at both ends, effectively meeting the different demands of readers and maximizing the utilization rate of space and productivity. viability". It is also on this floor that the cafeteria is located.
Can you imagine what it must be like to have a coffee while reading in Ningbo Zhongshuge?
You will arrive to buy, you will stay to read.