In-Decks of Light: A Library Part 1 Project 2024 Shaikha Alghfeli American University of Sharjah | UAE Situated in the heart of Ajman’s Heritage District, the library plays a vital role in keeping the city’s rich culture alive amidst a bustling neighborhood. The Ajman Library borrows from ingenious local characteristics in combating regional climate conditions, striking a balance between light and heavy in response to site conditions and functions. At the street level, the library opens up to the neighborhood and engages with the pedestrians; this was facilitated through the large cantilever, further knitting the library within the urban fabric. Within the library, however, the local notion of inward focus is instilled through the atrium, which creates an interlocking condition and allows for visual connections. The atrium, which opens up to levels above, is inhabited by a floating bookshelf and houses an archive in its core. The skylight, which penetrates the atrium, mainly illuminates the main library and creates a recluse for immersed readers. A dialect is created between the exposed ground level and the secluded upper level; the use of screens creates filtered light and a gradient between the two conditions. Finally, the library employs thick walls, lending from vernacular architecture, which allows for operations of carving to mediate sun entry and create spaces for bookshelves. Tutor(s) Roberto Castillo Melo