The research center is part of St. Anthony's College and occupies two historic buildings in its complex, separated by a small garden. In order to increase the usable area of the institution existing since 1957 and make its spaces more comfortable, it was decided to connect the two old buildings with a new wing.
Hadid suggested tying them up with an elongated streamlined concrete volume exploiting the theme of the bridge. Inside the new building there will be new premises for the library and archives, which constitute, in the main, the Center for the Middle East.
The visitor can get inside by going down from the street level into the deepened courtyard, from where you can get to the first floor of the building. There will be a lobby and a small showroom. The second floor will be occupied by a reading room and a book depository, and the library itself will be located on the third. A spacious basement floor is also planned, where another storage facility and a modern lecture hall will open.
