The 18-square-foot library brims with the elegance of Chanel and its legacy of revolutionizing art and fashion.
Chanel is not just a globally renowned fashion house—it is one of the industry’s greatest art patrons, making people rethink how we marvel, understand, and support the world’s artistic realm. The latest installment in its mission to foster creativity and advance culture is the Espace Gabrielle Chanel, mainland China’s first public library dedicated to contemporary art.
Unveiled on Nov. 25, 2025, the 18,000-square-foot library is home to over 50,000 books and audio editions. Of which, 10,000 is accessible to the public, turning the library into a major hub for art research and discovery. It is located on the third floor of Shanghai’s Power Station of Art (PSA), which was built in 2012 as the only state-run museum dedicated to contemporary art in Chinese mainland.
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In true fashion, Chanel tapped renowned Japanese architect Kazunari Sakamoto to transform the factory space into a treasure trove where readers can experience a sense of stability and flow. Shelves form a maze-like “valley of books” that resemble the surrounding Huangpu River. Modern furniture and lighting bring more life into the space, creating a fusion of the museum’s industrial heritage and the free-flowing energy of the natural landscape.
Along with the library, Chanel upgraded PSA’s exhibition hall and theater, as well built a new design theater and a terrace overlooking Huangpu River. The French fashion house’s partnership with the museum is the latest phase of its Next Cultural Producer Program. Launched at the PSA in 2021, the program aims to “foster new ideas and emerging practices in contemporary Chinese craft, architecture, and theater.”
“Espace Gabrielle Chanel symbolizes Chanel’s extended commitment to accelerating the ideas that advance culture,” Yana Peel, Chanel’s president for arts, culture, and heritage, said in an interview with ARTnews. “Our deepened relationship with PSA is testament to the fact that we’re not just thinking about the next quarter in our arts patronage, we’re looking to the next generation. The library embodies what is at the core of Chanel Culture Fund’s ideology; this idea of cross-cultural exchange, of honoring heritage, housing the archives of a nation, and also showcasing the best of what’s coming in the avant-garde.”
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Part of this mission is the library’s hosting of the Archive of Chinese Contemporary Art, a series of projects focused on preserving and promoting China’s modern art history. “Local engagement is essential,” Peel told ARTnews. “Over these past four years, the Next Cultural Producer program has really had us listening to PSA’s director, Gong Yan, and the curators on the ground.”
“Espace Gabrielle Chanel is for the community,” she added. “It’s a public museum for the people, where the idea of art for all is really championed.”
Meanwhile, Chanel Culture Fund was initiated in 2021 to support “artists and cultural institutions that push boundaries, inspire experimentation, and expand public imagination.” It is currently involved in 50 projects across 15 countries, with the M+ in Hong Kong, the Taipei Performing Arts Center, and the Leeum Museum of Art in Seoul among its most successful ones in Asia.
