Tatarstan National Library and National Bank

The new National Library and National Bank of the Republic of Tatarstan form a concept for the new city centre of Kazan. Besides offering all traditional facilities of a state library, the building invites citizens to explore and experience knowledge. It provides a home to all modern ways of accessing information, but its flexible setup also allows for future forms of working with knowledge. The Library building has a gross floor area of 52,500 square meters and is situated at Tukay square on the South-Eastern edge of the city centre. It is designed as a covered extension of the city centre. A multifunctional, 18 metre-high atrium serves as a portal between the library and the city and turns the building into part of the public domain; a place where the collective and cultural qualities of downtown spaces are combined. The entrance space can be a meeting point, boulevard, gallery, living room, garden and educational facility at the same time. Embedded into a hill, the building continues the shape of the landscape and offers a park on top of the building. By linking the existing Hermitage Park, the new library park and the National Library to the adjacent Tukay square, this area transforms into a vibrant hub of Kazan city life. Furthermore, the proposal extends the proposed site and allows for the development of the Headquarters of the National Bank, for high-quality offices, luxury apartments and retail.