Future Library

Future Library is an artwork in public space conceived by Scottish artist Katie Paterson that unfolds over 100 years in the city of Oslo, Norway. One thousand trees have been planted in Nordmarka, a forest just outside Oslo, which will supply paper for a special anthology of books to be printed in 100 years' time. Between now and then, one writer every year will contribute a text, with the writings held in trust, unpublished, until 2114. All 100 manuscripts will be held in a specially designed Silent Room in the Deichman Bjørvika, Oslo. No adult living today will ever know what is inside the boxes, other than that they are texts of some kind that will withstand the ravages of time. The first contributor to the library was Canadian author Margaret Atwood (2014) followed by British novelist David Mitchell (2015); Icelandic poet, novelist, lyricist Sjón (2016); Turkish author and political commentator, Elif Shafak (2017); South Korean novelist Han Kang (2018), Norwegian writer Karl Ove Knausgård (2019) and in 2020, Vietnamese American writer and poet, Ocean Vuong. In 2021 the Zimbabwean novelist, playwright and filmmaker Tsitsi Dangarembga and in 2022 the German writer and book designer Judith Schalansky. Conceived by Katie Paterson, Future Library was originally commissioned and produced by Bjørvika Utvikling. Managed by the Future Library Trust. The room in the Deichman Bjørvika is designed by the artist and architects Atelier Oslo and Lund Hagem. The project is supported by the City of Oslo, Agency for Cultural Affairs and Agency for Urban Environment.