Ti Gong
Children attend a reading event at the Vanke Mall in Xuhui District on Thursday.
Ti Gong
The reading space for children in the mall.
A new reading space was launched at a shopping mall in Xuhui District on Thursday as part of the district’s V+Lighthouse program and the latest efforts towards a children-friendly city.
V+Lighthouse at the newly opened Vanke Mall in Xuhui is the first of its kind that blends the new-type of Xuhui’s reading space with shopping malls.
As Shanghai is building itself into a more child-friendly city, the project has been developed by the Zikawei Library to create a favorable reading environment for children, according to the Xuhui District Bureau of Culture and Tourism.
With its design drawing inspiration from the ocean, the reading room, covering 137 square meters, features white bookshelves and blue seats, simulating the coastline and an island environment.
It uses eco-friendly materials and has a collection of around 2,000 children’s books in both Chinese and English.
Ti Gong
The reading space at the Vanke Mall.
Ti Gong
The reading space has a collection of around 2,000 children’s books in both Chinese and English.
“It enables parents to shop freely as their children can read here and it helps trigger children’s reading interest,” said designer Yu Ting.
A variety of reading promotion activities including reading sharing and science popularization events will be held every week.
Away from the usual shopping mall bustle, the reading space creates a tranquil reading environment.
“The place is very cozy with a warm design, and we can stay here all day long,” said a mother surnamed Xu. “My son can also read here alone and go back at night himself. It relieves parents to some extent.”
The child-friendly reading area is expected to be extended to lawns outside the mall in future.
Ti Gong
The launching ceremony at the Vanke Mall in Xuhui District.
New reading spaces for children in Xuhui District
1. Kangjian Subdistrict Library
Opening hours: 8:30am-8:30pm
Address: 988 Pubei Road 浦北路988号
2. Xujiahui Subdistrict Library
Opening hours: 1:30am-7pm (Monday), 9am-7pm (Tuesday-Sunday)
Address: 1F, 109 Nandan Rd E. 南丹东路109号1楼
3. Changqiao Subdistrict Library
Opening hours: 9am-5pm
Address: 4F, 237 Luoxiang Road 罗香路237号四楼
4. Tianlin Subdistrict Library
Opening hours: 7am-6:30pm
Address: 588 Tianlin Rd E. 田林东路588号
5. Xietu Road Subdistrict Library
Opening hours: 9am-5pm
Address: 2F, 461 Damuqiao Road 大木桥路461号2楼
6. Caohejing Subdistrict Library
Opening hours: 8:30am-8:30pm
Address: 2F, 135 Kangjian Road 康健路135号2楼
7. Vanke Mall in Xuhui
Opening hours: 10am-10pm
Address: L4-14, 9191 Humin Road 沪闵路9191号 徐汇万科广场 L4-14