Culture

Chanel’s Vision Shapes Shanghai’s Evolving Creative Landscape

The arrival of the Chanel Contemporary Art Library in Shanghai marks a transformative moment for cultural access in mainland China.

Por: Alejandro Carrillo November 28, 2025

Chanel Contemporary Art Library’s debut at the Power Station of Art in Shanghai redefines how the public engages with contemporary ideas, blending scholarship, design, and architecture.

The third floor of the museum now hosts an expansive literary environment spanning 18,000 square feet, filled with more than 50,000 titles that explore global artistic expression.

An Architectural Dialogue with the City

Japanese architect Kazunari Sakamoto crafted the project with a restrained but poetic touch.

His design uses long horizontal paths and gentle ramps to shape a serene “valley of books.” Each line and elevation shift subtly echoes the movement of the nearby Huangpu River.

The structure softens the museum’s industrial DNA, allowing literature, thought, and architecture to coexist in an open and fluid rhythm.

A Cultural Engine Inside a Reinvented Factory

The Power Station of Art has evolved significantly since occupying the former power plant. Its cultural agenda now includes theater, architecture, design, and experimental platforms. Chanel’s support further elevates that mission.

The renewed infrastructure introduces a new theater, a design hub, renovated exhibition galleries, and a terrace with river views. These additions signal a museum determined to expand its creative influence.

A Strategic Commitment to Asia

The launch of the Chanel Contemporary Art Library represents Chanel’s most ambitious initiative in Asia under its Culture Fund. Since 2021, the Fund has fostered new voices through the Next Cultural Producer program, which supports emerging talent in architecture, theater, and craft.

Chanel President of Arts, Culture & Heritage Yana Peel sees the library as an embodiment of long-term cultural investment.

Her vision favors collaborations with institutions rather than isolated, standalone spaces.

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A Network of Global Artistic Alliances

Chanel collaborates with more than fifty institutions worldwide. These include London’s National Portrait Gallery, MCA Chicago, Centre Pompidou in Paris, and Seoul’s Leeum Museum of Art.

The new library strengthens that global network by creating a platform for research exchange within China.

A Resource Built for Future Generations

The Chanel Contemporary Art Library was a decade in development. Its catalog includes titles from Asian museums and cultural groups alongside an intimate section dedicated to Coco Chanel and her legacy.

The collection merges physical publications with e-books, aligning with China’s fast-growing digital research landscape.

The result is a library that feels rooted in the present yet oriented toward future readers and creators.

A Resource Built for Future Generations

The collection merges physical publications with e-books, aligning with China’s fast-growing digital research landscape.

The result is a library that feels rooted in the present yet oriented toward future readers and creators.

A New Chapter for Education and Research

PSA director Gong Yan highlights the project’s importance for expanding educational initiatives. The archive enriches research in architecture, design, literature, social sciences, and the broader field of contemporary art.

She emphasizes that this effort helps bridge gaps between Chinese cultural discourse and international conversations.

Opening Events and Public Access

To inaugurate the space, PSA launched “Home and Beyond,” an exhibition curated by Hou Hanru that explores shifting notions of domesticity and displacement.

Visitors can register through the museum’s WeChat Mini Program or email to access the first available portion of the collection.

As the full archive is gradually cataloged, the library will grow into one of the country’s most significant reference points for contemporary art literature.

Key Information

What makes the Chanel Contemporary Art Library unique in China? Its focus on contemporary art and its scale make it a rare public resource.
Who designed the architectural layout of the Chanel Contemporary Art Library? Kazunari Sakamoto created the horizontal, river-inspired design.
What role does Chanel’s Culture Fund play? It supports long-term cultural collaboration with institutions across Asia.
How can visitors access the Chanel Contemporary Art Library? Through PSA’s WeChat Mini Program or by email registration.