These days it seems that the most innovative libraries are found in China. The  luminous Pingtan Book House Library is a new library in the rural village of Pingtan, China. It takes shape as an ‘infinitely looping’ staircase enclosed by a translucent, gridded facade.. The architects note: ‘the staircase has no destination; it is the destination itself.’ along the route upward, visitors pass through a timber structure which integrates a matrix of bookshelves into its walls.

The beautiful library is built mainly of wood, in keeping with the heritage of the area; villages in Pingtan have historically been built of Chinese fir. The only non-local material is the polycarbonate panels used for the outside, which let sunlight filter in during the day, and lend the library a electric glow at night. The project was rooted in concern for the loss of the village’s traditional fabric in favor of concrete construction.