Adventure Libary

A library you climb into, crawl through and curl up in

At GEMS School of Research and Innovation in Dubai, the primary library is designed as a valley of stories – a landscape young readers explore before they open a single book. On entry, the valley rises in tiers around them. Readers can climb to the top tier and settle among the tree canopy, or crawl on their bellies through a protected tunnel lined with books. Every level offers a different way to find a story and a different place to enjoy it, so finding a book becomes an adventure in its own right. We believe a library should feel magical – a place that draws young people in emotionally, the way the best retail and leisure spaces do – and the valley is designed to make reading the most exciting thing in the room.

From the valley, the library opens into a sequence of spaces, each supporting a different way of reading. A listening station brings audiobooks to readers who connect with stories through sound. Round seating pods in the collaboration area let pupils sit however suits them, while a nurturing space offers calm for those who want somewhere quiet. A large story time gathering space and a mini cinema bring readers together for shared stories. The librarians' area oversees it all, positioned as a friendly information point every reader can reach easily.

The primary library is one chapter in a larger story. SRI's libraries form a single landscape that grows with the learner: the Early Years library is a clearing in the woods, a magical gathering space for story time; primary is the valley of stories, where the love of the book takes hold; and the senior library is a forest of discovery, where reading opens out into research and independent enquiry. A stair and a moving digital totem connect primary to senior, with content flowing between the two floors so younger readers can see where their reading leads. For a school built around research and innovation, the thread is clear from the first day in Early Years – curiosity begins with a story.