On a meta level, we wanted to establish a connection to Islamic culture. Against this backdrop, the idea arose to incorporate the shape of the rahle, the cross-shaped bookend used for the Koran. The analogy to the rahle resulted in two wings of the building that are terraced around an open centre. One wing houses Eastern literature, the other Western literature. Both wings are connected by bridges to create a spatial link between Western and Eastern culture. The sloping wings create an air space that provides the reading rooms with sufficient daylight. The building has a total floor area of 50,000 square metres.

Another key design feature is the building’s base. It consists of two sloping, semi-circular components that lean towards each other. This is where the general functions are located, such as the foyer, administration and events. Adjacent to the northern part of the base is a large library garden with shady trees and palm trees as well as seating areas. The large hall, in turn, protrudes from the base as an independent structure. In order to achieve a homogeneous appearance of the base zone and the upper two wings, the entire façade cladding was executed in a single material, a light-coloured natural stone.

Given that the United Arab Emirates has an extremely hot and dry climate, sustainability and climate adaptation played a major role in the design and planning. The challenge was to ensure that the building received sufficient daylight without allowing too much energy input. External sun protection is therefore particularly important. We were able to provide natural sun protection through the overhanging façade. The light-coloured natural stone façade also helps to reflect sunlight, thereby preventing the building from overheating. The proportion of window space is kept moderate.

Transparency note: We won the international design competition in 2005. Over the next two years, we worked on the design in an interdisciplinary team with Obermayer (Munich), who were responsible for the building services, the supporting structure, the outdoor facilities and the traffic planning. The building was finally completed in 2022. The ACG Group/Architects was responsible for the on-site implementation.