Historic library plan to realize architect's vision

A historic library that was intended to be a landmark in a new city center in Shanghai's Yangpu District is to be restored and expanded to realize the original vision of its architect.

Work will begin on the former Shanghai Library by the end of the year, officials from Yangpu District said yesterday.

And the library will include buildings based on the blueprints of renowned architect Dong Daqiu not included in the original structure.

It will open to the public by 2017, said Zhang Min, deputy director with the Yangpu Bureau of Culture.

"The new library will serve the 1.24 million residents in the district and include an exhibition hall on the history of the old library," Zhang said.

The library in the Jiangwan area was built 80 years ago by the Kuomintang government as part of the "Big Shanghai Project" to bring the city government and major facilities to the area.

It was expected to constitute part of a new city center along with government buildings, a museum, a stadium, a hospital and TV and radio stations.

Work was suspended in 1935 with the start of the Anti-Japanese War.

Although only half-built, the library still opened, before closing a year later.

"The library had more than 10,000 books at that time but most of them have been lost," said Pan Limin, curator of the Yangpu District Library.

The building on Heishan Road served as the school library and dormitory of Tongji Middle School until 2008.

Plans to convert it into an art gallery came to nothing and the building is in poor repair, surrounded by weeds.

"The building will be fully renovated according to its original look, while new buildings will be built according to the original blueprints left by Dong Daqiu," said Pan.

The new library will cover 15,000 square meters with its two new wing buildings based on Dong's design.

It will be home to 650,000 books, 1,200 newspaper and magazine titles, and include seating for 650 people, said officials.