The idea of entire thesis start with question “ Why library is so cold ”, and suprisingly found that almost all the campus library in the world are all air conditioned. After the pandemic of COVID-19, we start to realised the importance of open air environment which are more safer and healthier than enclosed air-conditioned environment. Hence this thesis was given born to explore the possibility of cross-ventilated library which aim to be next future library typology.

Unlike other campus library in Malaysia, Universiti Malaya’s main library is transforming into main information exchange centre for students, lectures, staffs, and public. It is not only focus on the serendipity browsing experience, but the experiment to balance the cross ventilated environment for human and humidity-controlled environment for books. The thesis is an adaptive reuse and expansion project to the existing UM Main library. The original library is segregated by floor, but with the new library wings that connected the existing library floor to floor, forming the biggest section in the library which we called “Books Ramp”. It allows librarians to organized the entire Library of Congress Classification system on one continuous run from Call number A to Z.

This thesis then focusses on how to adaptive reuse the existing library shelves turn it into compartmentalised shelves. The components of shelves and dehumidifier system are specially studied and put it together, becoming one of the biggest parts in the library. On the other hand, the innovation of shelves also solves the overflow books issue and handling oversize books in a revolutionary way. In short, this is the new typology of library which demonstrate how to achieve human comfort via cross ventilated environment yet protect the books within its preferred environment.