One of the first public libraries in Bahrain, the Khalifeyah is located in the historic centre of the city, and houses a reading room, research centre, an internet lab and office spaces. It was designed to embed itself within the urban fabric of the neighbourhood, yet have a strong architectural presence that allows it to become a public focal point. The boundary of the lower floor is shaped by the diagonal line of the adjacent building’s footprint, and the cantilevered two top floors again follow this footprint. A diagonal grid of louvers covers the facade, the pattern used to regulate sunlight by varying the density of the grid.
Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture
