A slender roof cantilevers from all sides of The House of Wisdom, a tech-filled library that Foster + Partners has designed in Sharjah, UAE for the "digital future".
The two-storey building is located 10 kilometres from the city centre in a new cultural district and counts a "book espresso machine" that can print and bind books on demand among its key features.
Its rectilinear form and the distinctive roof that overhangs by 15 metres in all directions are designed by Foster + Partners to complement its desert surroundings.
Top image: Foster + Partners had completed The House of Wisdom library. Above: it features alongside a sculpture by Gerry Judah
"The House of Wisdom in Sharjah is a forward-looking conception of what a library should be in the 21st century ? embracing a digital future while playing a crucial role as a community hub for learning, underpinned by innovation and technology," said Gerard Evenden, head of studio at Foster + Partners. "The straight, minimalist lines of the building complement the dunes of the desert, set within a lush landscape. The House of Wisdom is set to be an oasis for the local community, led by research and innovation, at the heart of a new cultural district."
It is topped by a giant overhanging roof
While characterising the concrete and steel building, the cantilevered roof also helps shade the library's large transparent facades from the city's hot climate.
This works in tandem with fixed aluminiu...