Mohammed bin Rashid Library, Dubai
asp Architekten

In 2005, asp Architekten, based in Stuttgart and Berlin, won the international competition to design the Mohammed bin Rashid Library in Dubai. Conceived as a central library of international standing, the project aims to transcend the borders of the United Arab Emirates. One of the few non-commercial civic buildings in Dubai, the Mohammed bin Rashid Library was envisioned as a "building of society"–a multifunctional space designed to foster exchange and communication.

Address/Directions

Mohammed bin Rashid Library
Al Jaddaf
Dubai

Directions

“We wanted the building’s form to reflect Islamic culture. And what better metaphor for a library than literature itself? That’s how we arrived at the idea of referencing the rahle, the traditional X-shaped bookstand used for reading the Quran.”

Cem Arat
Managing Partner, asp Architekten

A sculptural form inspired by the rahle–the traditional Quran bookstand

The library’s sculptural form is derived from the rahle, the bookstand used for reading the Quran. This distinctive structure is articulated in two wings that terrace around an open central void. One wing is dedicated to Eastern literature, the other to Western. The cantilevered wings are connected by bridges that symbolically and spatially unite both cultures. Their steeply rising geometry creates a vertical void that fills the reading halls with natural light.

The base of the building consists of two semi-circular volumes leaning toward one another. It houses core functions including the lobby, administration, and event spaces. A large hall projects outward as a freestanding volume, while the northern end opens into a shaded garden with palm trees and ample seating.

With a footprint of 50,000 square meters, the Mohammed bin Rashid Library includes a children’s library, administrative offices, a conference center, exhibition areas, a bookstore in the base level, and a collection of 1.7 million books. The main library zone is a multistory open space that facilitates vertical circulation.

Located on Dubai Creek, a natural inlet of the Persian Gulf, the library occupies a prominent site in the heart of the city. With a waterside main entrance, palm garden, and iconic architecture, it creates a strong sense of identity.

Climate considerations embedded in architectural form

The architecture responds to climatic challenges through pragmatic strategies that favor passive measures wherever possible. A light-colored façade, moderate window-to-wall ratio, external sunshades, and cantilevered volumes all contribute to natural shading and improved thermal performance.

The structure is built as a solid mass with deeply cantilevered upper floors. For a unified aesthetic, the entire façade–including both the plinth and the projecting wings–is clad in the same light natural stone. This surface reflects sunlight and prevents the building from overheating. The overhangs also shield the library’s interior and its sensitive book collection from direct sun, helping maintain a consistent, moderate temperature.

Between 2006 and 2007, asp Architekten developed the design in close collaboration with Munich-based developer Obermayer. The firm oversaw technical systems, structural engineering, landscaping, and traffic planning. Local execution was managed by ACG Group/Architects. The Mohammed bin Rashid Library was completed in 2022.

The project features the FSB 1146–also known as “Wittgenstein’s Return”–in stainless steel. With a conically flared neck and a rounded, hemispherical end, it offers a timeless and contemporary aesthetic, perfectly suited to the manifold and complex demands of a public building.