The Kaohsiung Main Public Library, located in the Asia New Bay Area of Qianzhen District, is the largest public library in Kaohsiung and the core of the city’s library system. Fully funded by the Kaohsiung City Government, the building comprises eight floors above ground and one underground level. It occupies 20,000 square meters of land with a total floor area of approximately 37,000 square meters, serving as a major cultural and intellectual landmark in southern Taiwan.
The building features a square design with each floor spanning 67.2 meters. Structural service cores are placed at each corner, utilizing an innovative suspended floor system that replaces traditional bulky columns with 6–12 cm steel cables, creating vast open interior spaces. At the center is a 7.5-meter-tall atrium, and the ground level includes a spacious arcade for comfortable and open reading and events. The exterior follows green building principles, using osmanthus hedges on balconies to provide shade and incorporating rooftop gardens and public plazas.
More than just an architectural feat, the library is also a pioneer in reading promotion. It houses Taiwan's first International Picture Book Center and a Children's Theater, enriching resources for youth and promoting cross-cultural reading engagement.
The library has received seven silver-grade green building candidate certifications and boasts several global and national firsts:
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World's first suspended green building
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World’s largest suspended landscape atrium
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World’s most visually transparent library
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World’s first column-free 7.5-meter-high sheltered plaza
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Taiwan’s first all-directional system building
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One of the most functionally flexible buildings in Taiwan
Natural ventilation and lighting are key features. When the outdoor temperature drops below 26°C, the central air conditioning system shuts off, fulfilling energy-saving and carbon-reduction goals in line with green architecture ideals.
