Women's Teacher Training University Library

Typology. Library

Location. Almaty, Kazakhstan

Surface. 2252 m²

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The library is located within the State University of Kazakhstan, established in 1944. Over time, it has undergone  several renovations to meet the changing needs of library staff. These successive renovations, without a com-prehensive overall design, resulted in a non-functional and disorganized space that does not meet the needs of library teams or the requirements of a modern library.

We were tasked with designing a complete renovation project for the library to reorganize the existing spaces and integrate new functions. Following a thorough study of the existing building from a technical standpoint, we engaged with students and library staff to understand the issues with the current building and their needs.

The concept is centered around the desire to breathe new life into the building through the implementation of three guiding principles: light, warmth, and modularity, to break away from the oppressive and cold atmosphere that currently exists in this Soviet-era library.