Chris Hardie is Design Director and Partner at Danish architects Schmidt Hammer Lassen (SHL). Having founded SHL's China studio in 2010, the practice has gone on the contribute significantly to the Chinese cultural and civic landscape leading projects like Shanghai Library East, West Bund Grand Theatre, Ningbo New Library, Beijing Performing Arts Center, and the world's largest waste to energy powerplant known as the Shenzhen Energy Ring. Chris is adept at combining Danish design DNA in foreign contexts, a term Chris refers to as Contextually Nordic.

Enter Shanghai Library East, feel one of the world's largest and most acclaimed contemporary libraries, and enjoy an exclusive architectural tour guided by the library's designer - Danish architecture firm SHL (Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects).

The tour will be led by Chris Hardie, Principal and Design Director at SHL and the lead architect behind the award-winning project. During this unique visit, participants will gain first-hand insights into the journey from winning the international design competition to delivering a landmark cultural destination for Shanghai.

Chris will share the story behind the project during the event, including:

• How SHL won the international competition for Shanghai Library East;
• The Danish design principles and architectural thinking that shaped the project;
• How the design draws inspiration from Chinese cultural heritage while responding to the evolving role of libraries as civic and community spaces;
• How Danish design excellence can create competitive advantages and strengthen a firm's position in the Chinese market.

Located next to Century Park in Pudong, Shanghai Library East spans 115,000 square meters and has become a new cultural landmark for the city. Inspired by the traditional Chinese scholar's rock, the building combines art, technology, learning, and public engagement, with more than 80% of its space dedicated to community activities and social interaction. The project won many awards including Top 10 Chinese Architecture Projects of 2022 and was completed in 2022.

This exclusive tour offers a rare opportunity to explore not only the architecture itself, but also the strategic thinking, cultural understanding, and design excellence behind one of the most significant Danish architectural projects in China.

AGENDA

15:30 – 16:00: Registration

16:00 – 17:00: Guided tour by Chris Hardie, Principal and Design Director, Schmidt Hammer Lassen

17:00 – 18:00: Presentation by Chris Hardie and Q & A session

DATE & TIME

Tuesday November 03, 2026, 15:30 – 18:00 (China Time, including 30 min registration time)

VENUE

Shanghai Library East, 300 Hehuan Road, Pudong New District, Shanghai

上海市浦东新区合欢路300号上海图书馆东馆

TRANSPORTATION

Parking is available at Shanghai Library East, and it costs RMB 8 per hour.

LANGUAGE: English

FEE: TBC

Stay tuned for upcoming registration and further details.