Chinese architecture studio Geedesign has completed a library in Hefei, China, with arcing stone-clad walls, planted courtyards and roof terraces.
Hefei River Central Smart Garden Library is located between a greenbelt area and the Fei River and a busy financial district at the edge of city.

The library provides kindergarten spaces for children as well as reading rooms and an audio visual space for adults.
Roof terraces, squares and courtyards function as public spaces for local people to enjoy, with the planting scheme included to act as a green lung for the city.

Wrapping the complex's various blocks in a 2.1-metre-high outer wall allowed for the mediation of views in and out of the spaces, opening out towards the river while minimising disturbance from the road. "The design started from a cube that, through different techniques of reduction and overlay finished with a curved interface, subtly adapts to the surrounding environments," said Geedesign.

White stone for the Hefei River Central Smart Garden Library's walls contrast with glazed facades, shiny aluminium panels and wooden grills.
"The use of black, white and grey makes the building look like a sculpture, while the brown of the wood brings a sense of warmth," said the studio.

The curved wall opens onto a square at the entrance on the north side of the building.
Circular areas of paving and stepped levels in the square are intended to encourage visitors to stop and dwell.

Behind the outer ...