Kaohsiung Main Public Library

The Kaohsiung Main Public Library (Chinese: 高雄市立圖書館; pinyin: Gāoxióng Shìlì Túshūguǎn) is the central library of Kaohsiung, Taiwan. It is the main library of the Kaohsiung Public Library System and opened in November 2014. The building is located in Xinguang Road, opposite to the Tuntex Sky Tower.

Kaohsiung Main Public Library
高雄市立圖書館
22.6102°N 120.3018°E / 22.6102; 120.3018
LocationKaohsiung, Taiwan
Established2014 (current main library)
Branches62
Other information
DirectorCheng-Yi Pan
Websitewww.ksml.edu.tw

History
Old main library of Kaohsiung at Minsheng Road.

The old main library of Kaohsiung at Minsheng Road opened in 1981. By 2011, it had gradually become unable to keep up with the demand of the public, and a project was initiated to build a new library building in the Asia New Bay Area, located in the city center. Architecture and design work were done by Ricky Liu and the Japanese architect Toyo Ito’s team. Construction started in October 2012 and was completed in 2014. Opening to the public in November of that year, it was hailed as a new cultural landmark for the city.[1][2]

In 2017 the library was regarded as one of the top 10 landmarks of Taiwan by TripAdvisor.[3][4]

Features

The library has an area of 38,000 m2 (410,000 sq ft) over eight floors, with no columns inside the building. On the top floor it has integrated a subtropical garden landscape into its architecture. It is regarded as the world’s first column-suspended green building.[1]

  • Ground floor main hall
    Ground floor main hall
  • Level 3 Mezzanine
    Level 3 Mezzanine
  • New books area
    New books area
  • Void
    Void
  • Level 4 Study Area
    Level 4 Study Area
  • Level 4 Exhibition Hall
    Level 4 Exhibition Hall
  • Level 5 Multimedia Theatre
    Level 5 Multimedia Theatre
  • Level 6
    Level 6
  • Rooftop garden
    Rooftop garden

Phase II
Phase II building from afar
Phase II building

The second phase of the development plan started in 2016 and was completed in 2020. It comprises a 148 m (486 ft)-tall skyscraper with 27 floors above ground and six basement levels, and a floor area of approximately 42,000 m2 (450,000 sq ft).[5][6]

The building includes a bookstore, restaurant, movie theater and a 238-room hotel. This BOT project accounts for the operating costs of the new library in the future, and provides accommodation and research facilities in the adjacent Kaohsiung Exhibition Center to form a cultural and creative industry cluster and create a cultural and creative industry in Kaohsiung.[7]

References
  1. Staff (Aug 29, 2017). "Kaohsiung Library is the world's first column-suspended 'green' building". Taipei Times. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
  2. "Introduction". Kaohsiung Main Public Library. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
  3. Huang, Maggie (May 23, 2017). "Taipei 101 the top landmark in Taiwan". Taiwan News. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
  4. "Taipei 101 named top landmark in Taiwan by TripAdvisor". The China Post. May 24, 2017. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
  5. "Main Public Library Phase II – Emporis". emporis.com.
  6. "Main Public Library Phase II – skyscraperpage". skyscraperpage.com.
  7. "(Chinese)文青照過來！台灣首座圖書館旅店高雄誕生". chinatimes.com.
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