We are pleased to announce that The House of Wisdom, a library and cultural center created to honor the UNESCO World Book Capital year of The emirate of Sharjah, is now open.

House of Wisdom reimagines the traditional library, from a repository of physical books to a seamless, holistic, digital experience, powered by technology and innovation. The immersive space has been designed for learning, sharing, creating, and accessing knowledge. It is set out to become a cultural landmark for the entire region.

We designed the physical and digital omnichannel experience of House of Wisdom together with Alkemy, in collaboration with Injazat Data Systems with the aim of going beyond the physical space and enabling a new 360 ° hybrid experience of knowledge and sociability. The iconic building itself is designed by Foster + Partners.

The library is home to 305,000 books, of which 200,000 are in the digital format and 11,000 comprise books in varied languages. The visitors can access and interact with the library collection with an easy-to-use, seamless app designed by Design Group Italia directly from their smartphones.

The destination also features a children’s library and area which houses more than 2,000 books, while the library for youth will feature 3,000 titles. Both the interiors and the experience of the children’s area are designed by Design Group Italia.

Congratulations on the opening to Shurooq – Sharjah Investment and Development Authority, Injazat, our local partner; Alkemy, and the entire extended team!