MAD Architects has unveiled that the Wormhole Library, had topped-out in the city of Haikou, China at the end of January 2021. The curved multi-functional structure, cast of white concrete, is scheduled to be completed and operational in the Spring of 2021. Once ready, the project will allow visitors to read, enjoy the sea views and attend open-air performances.
Located along the Haikou Bay coastline, in Hainan Province by the South China Sea, the “wormhole” pavilion is situated in the Century Park. Cast in white concrete, using both a CNC and 3D printed model, once completed, the building will accommodate spaces for reading and a public rest area for visitors. Designed by MAD Architects, the multi-functional structure will take on curved concrete structural walls that connect the ceiling, the ground, and the walls together.
In addition, the design will put in place holes of varying sizes, to allow the architecture to breathe, while also letting natural light flood the interior. Its 690-square-meter interior reading space can store approximately 10,000 books, a café, and a terrace; and the 300-square-meter public rest area is equipped with a bicycle parking system, public bathrooms, and shower areas.
Planned as Haikou’s next energetic, popular public space, the library will bring layers of color and activity to the city. Part of a governmental-launched initiative to rejuvenate Haikou Bay, the project, the first completed pavilion from the master plan, will enhance the usage of public space along the coastline.
Within the library, people interact directly with both the sky and sea. Humans are no longer the dominant beings, and architecture is no longer the dominant vessel. The visitor experience is instead a “glimpse into the universe” – abstract but infinite. -- MAD architects.
