In Pictures: Sharjah’s House of Wisdom

The House of Wisdom, Sharjah’s new iconic cultural hub, was commissioned in honour of Sharjah’s recognition as World Book Capital 2019 by UNESCO and is the living legacy of the promises made then, namely, to continue to foster reading, enhance access to knowledge to all members of society and serve as a catalyst for harmonious coexistence.

The landscape surrounding House of Wisdom is divided into two sections: The South Garden, which hosts the Japanese garden as well as a children’s playground; and The North Garden, which includes a reflective pool with majestic fountains and a cactus garden. The main highlight in the North Garden is UK artist Gerry Judah’s Scroll monument - a contemporary interpretation of the ancient Arabic scrolls and represented as a single, spiralling sculpture that loops towards the sky. Using a form of geometry called ‘developable surface’, the curved shell was created from rolled steel plates, cut by lasers guided by computer control, welded together and painted with multiple layers to protect the steel from sandstorms and weather erosion.

The library houses 265,000 books, of which 200,000 are in digital format and there are 11,000 books in various languages. The children’s section, ‘The Little Reader’, houses more than 2,000 books, while another dedicated section for youth boasts 3,000 titles.

The House of Wisdom has 15 lobbies and halls spread across two storeys and is set on an elevated platform spanning 12,000 square metres.

Key spaces bathed in natural light include the double height reception hub, Al Rasheed Hall, Knowledge Terrace, Little Reader, Wisdom Square, Ladies Diwan, the Al Jarhmi Library, and Al Khawarizmi Exhibition.

The Ladies Diwan, a dedicated place for women to read and hold discussions or seminars, is equipped with bunk beds and reading corners to encourage both collaboration and quiet contemplation.

Developed by the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), the library also boasts a Fabrication Lab, a makerspace equipped with state-of-the-art 3D printers to build prototypes of experimental projects and cutting-edge technologies in the Espresso Book Machine Room where an on-demand printing and binding machine can produce a perfectly bound book in just a few minutes.

Designed by Foster Partners, an award-winning architectural firm, House of Wisdom also includes lecture halls, reading lounges, exhibition spaces, a dedicated children’s educational area, a central courtyard, café, restaurant, and outdoor gardens planted with local varieties of shrubs and trees.

Bustling with reading enthusiasts of all ages, the House of Wisdom hosts a 265,000-book library with indoor and garden reading areas.

The library’s futuristic suspended private pods can be both a spot for quiet reading and a collaborative community space. These pods are designed to promote academic and non-academic pursuits, social learning, and cultural interaction.

The House of Wisdom is free to access and open to anyone looking for a space to work, study, read or relax.

Located near the University City of Sharjah, the House of Wisdom is a unique futuristic cultural hub that reimagines libraries for the 21st century.