Lingang's cultural upgrade
Up and coming suburb Lingang, something of a cultural wasteland, is to have a cultural center by Dishui Lake, featuring the city’s “most beautiful” library.
On the coast of the Pudong New Area, the emerging smart manufacturing base leads the country in robotics and artificial intelligence. Many of those who work there have chosen to make their homes close to their workplaces, similarly to communities in Palo Alto and around Microsoft’s Redmond campus.
Lingang needs a more diverse cultural ambiance. Residents need libraries, theaters, exhibition halls and galleries, said Miao Ting of the Lingang management committee.
The first and the second floors of the complex will house a 400-seat theater, where at least 200 shows will be staged each year. The third and the fourth floors will feature a multipurpose hall alongside a dance studio, terrace and restaurants.
A 5,000-square-meter library will occupy another three floors, containing about 400,000 books related to science and technology.
Miao said it is very likely to be one of the most beautiful libraries in Shanghai, or anywhere else for that matter. “Imagine spending your downtime sitting by French windows, reading a book you love, looking out over the spectacular lake.”
