The French maison Chanel has opened, at Shanghai’s Power Station of Art, the first public contemporary art library created by the brand in mainland China, an initiative that consolidates its international cultural strategy. Conceived as a hub for knowledge and collaboration, the Espace Gabrielle Chanel expands the maison’s cultural influence and reinforces its artistic legacy. The project is part of the Chanel Culture Fund, dedicated to institutional and creative support.
Located on the third floor of the Power Station of Art (PSA) in Shanghai, the Espace Gabrielle Chanel has been designed as an international benchmark for the study, preservation, and dissemination of contemporary art. The project brings together more than 50,000 volumes, a renovated exhibition area, a 300-seat theatre, a design center, and a panoramic terrace overlooking the Huangpu River. In doing so, the maison shapes a multidisciplinary space that engages local and global audiences while strengthening its longstanding relationship with artistic creation. The architecture, developed by Japanese designer Kazunari Sakamoto, transforms the former power plant into a fluid environment, organized as a “valley of books” that evokes the movement of water and the flow of knowledge. Its design underscores the importance of reading as a cultural act and the preservation of editorial heritage within a museum setting.
The project also stands out for its urban dimension. The Power Station of Art, housed in a former 20th-century power plant, has renewed its industrial identity through architectural interventions that preserve the building’s original essence. The integration of the Espace Gabrielle Chanel aligns with Shanghai’s cultural evolution, a city that has established itself as one of Asia’s most dynamic hubs for contemporary art. Shanghai combines the expansion of its museum infrastructure with a cultural ecosystem that brings together fairs, galleries, experimental spaces, and academies. In this context, Chanel’s presence carries strategic significance, the maison weaves its cultural heritage into the artistic development of one of the Asia-Pacific region’s leading creative capitals.
The opening of this space also offers an opportunity to reassess the role luxury houses play in the global cultural ecosystem. The relationship between fashion and art has evolved from occasional collaboration to the creation of lasting support structures, capable of sustaining institutional initiatives and research programs. Chanel, with a tradition connected to 20th-century artists and the promotion of contemporary disciplines, positions itself in a sphere where the cultural dimension operates as a natural extension of its brand identity. The consolidation of such projects in Asia also confirms a geographic shift in cultural focus, placing cities like Shanghai at the center of the international conversation.
The library is intended not only as an archive, but also as a space for public engagement. Scheduled activities include lecture series, editorial publications, curatorial residencies, and collaborations with local academies. In this way, the maison aims for the Espace Gabrielle Chanel to become organically embedded in PSA’s cultural life, reinforcing its vocation as infrastructure open to the public. This public character, which sets the project apart within the luxury sphere, underscores a clear commitment to democratizing access to knowledge.
Likewise, the Chinese Contemporary Art Archive will make it possible to bring together key documentation on artists from recent decades, preserving critical discourse and creating a database that will support academic research. Collaboration with Chinese cultural institutions ensures the archive’s continuity and builds a bridge between local creation and international scholarship. These efforts help position the Espace Gabrielle Chanel as a reference point for both specialists and the broader public interested in contemporary practices.
The inauguration of the space, attended by cultural leaders and institutional representatives, marks a milestone in the maison’s cultural expansion. With this opening, Chanel strengthens its patronage strategy and becomes part of a project that brings together architecture, education, art, and community. The Espace Gabrielle Chanel is thus established as a long-term center of knowledge that will contribute meaningfully to Shanghai’s cultural dynamism.
The Luxury Trends (Revista de lujo – Luxury Magazine) ©Power Station of Art y Chanel images
