The Sustainable Development Goals call for “all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men, and women, to achieve literacy and numeracy” by 2030. Approximately 750 million people over the age of 15 still lack basic reading and writing skills. There exists a direct relationship between reading/human literacy and issues such as reduction in crime, poverty alleviation, improvement of health, and increase in employment.

The “BookWorm” pavilion aims to foster a sense of learning through the creation of an interactive learning space. Most library and institutional structures are often intimidating for children. The aim was to create a landscape of books that invite children to explore and learn simultaneously. We wanted children to engage in “reading” as a fun activity, encourage children to pick books and read, irrespective of language. The pavilion “worms” through the landscape to offer a unique browsing experience along a meandering pathway.

The “BookWorm” is a deployable pavilion measuring 120’0” L x 40’0” W constructed out of approx 3600 modular pre-fabricated components to house books and spaces for reading. The pavilion has a low carbon footprint and promotes sustainable building technologies to house “reading”, storytelling activities for society at large. The pavilion was fabricated off-shore and deployed on-site within a week.

Books have been donated by several schools across the city. These books shall be donated to NGOs and needy children. We are hoping that the “BookWorm” travels across the country in both rural and urban areas, spreading the message of “empowerment through education”.