SMART LIBRARY –IQRA’ إقرأ REIMAGINING THE FUTURE OF READING
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Date
2024
Authors
يزن القاضي
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Abstract
The project aims to introduce a new modern form of library into our community to encourage more people to read and to provide a safe community spot where people can use its amenities. It is also completely wheelchair accessible as well as providing reading accessibility options to several disabilities such as visual impairment, learning disabilities, physical disabilities, and mental disabilities.
The Location is set in the Rafidia region of Nablus, north of the Najah National University, this was chosen due to its proximity to the University which allows easy access to the location as well as taking advantage of the university students as possible users for the project. The Land is also far from enough from the main street and any possible loud noise sources which makes it ideal for a library. The sloped terrain also allows for the intended shape to come into fruition and offers great views as well.
The main attraction of the library is its ASRS (Automatic Storage Retrieval System) which is an industrial storage system often used in warehouses that allows the use automatic highly condensed storage shelves that can store more than 1 million books in a controlled environment, This also makes the book retrieval aspect much easier and faster for the user as the library index is completely digital and there are no user accessed shelves in the library. Everything is automated from beginning to end. The design of the building was also made to allow vertical access from the storage system to every floor, seamlessly.
One of the main design purposes of the building is to allow complete accessibility to every user to read all the available books in the library, due to its complete digitization process it is possible to read every book in digital format, listen to it as an audio book with text to speech functions, provide Braille display keyboards for users with visual impairment, as well as VR assisted reading.
The ground and first floor of the building consists of an exhibition zone to entice users’ curiosity to enter the building, followed by the second floor which consists of a children’s zone, book clubs, computer labs and VR labs. The third floor is for meeting rooms and a multi-functional Hall. Fourth to Seventh floor are dedicated to the various reading zones.