Pudong Library – Shanghai’s Sky-High Reading Cube

Rising along Qiancheng Road beside Pudong’s Cultural Park, Pudong Library is a striking hexagonal building that appears to float atop slender columns. Its modern “barcode” façade hides a spacious interior spanning six above-ground floors and two subterranean levels, with a soaring atrium and lush sky gardens that beautifully balance scale and serenity . Inside, each pair of floors serves a distinct purpose. The ground levels host public services, exhibition halls, and versatile lecture theaters. The third and fourth floors reveal a stunning “Book Mountain”—an open-plan area with terraced steps, gentle ramps, and towering bookshelves that invite browsing and discovery in a communal setting . Up high, the fifth and sixth levels hold specialized reading rooms, audio-visual zones, and office spaces, with glass-roofed sky gardens offering tranquil oases above the books . Home to nearly four million printed volumes and hundreds of thousands of digital titles, Pudong Library welcomes around 6,000 visitors daily—peaking at 30,000 on its busiest days. It features standout zones like the Children’s Literature Base, Pudong Local Documents Center, facilities for visually impaired users, and vibrant programming that includes book clubs, public lectures, and an annual reading festival. Admission and most services are free—a testament to its mission of equality, openness, and community engagement . Open daily from 9 am to 8 pm (closed Mondays), Pudong Library is easily reached via the nearby Jinxiu Road Station on Shanghai Metro Line 7, with bus stops right outside. Beyond being a haven for readers, it has become a cultural anchor for Pudong, celebrated for its architectural ambition, thoughtful design, and breadth of public programming . #shanghaionbudget