The building is the most sophisticated and advanced library in Iran and also the greatest resource center in the Middle East. It has provided numerous facilities for the country and will be the representative of Persian language and Iranian culture in the world information network.
The project significance is in its special technical approach to design and build a national library which has complex and different functions. The result is a technically outstanding building. Using up to date technologies of librarianship and considering global standards, the architects have created a contemporary Iranian architecture which coordinates the complex work and the high standards of construction and detailing.
The main principals that caused formation of the project are:
• Providing maximum flexibility within layout, structure and services so that the building is capable to be adapted to varying conditions of future.
• Compactness of the building for ease of movement of readers, staff and books.
• Accessibility of the library from exterior into the building and from entrance to all parts of the building with direct connection to the reading halls situated on the same floor or on another floor, immediately above or below.
• Creating an extendible, organized, comfortable, secure, varied and economic library committed to sustainable development considerations.
Thus a single, solid, compact and at the same time horizontally-stretched structure has been designed to furnish great flexibility and allow for a smooth workflow.
The building has a modular base of 1.35 m., which is the most proper module for library functions; the span size chosen for the waffle slab structure is 8.10 m. This size has been found to optimize various considerations such as load bearing capacity, costs, car parking, book shelving, different stack arrangements and work station layouts.
A special mushroom capital has been designed for columns to distribute the weight as well as giving the spans a graceful appearance. All the structure is in exposed concrete.
One of the most successful features of the building is its use of natural light during day time. In this building besides using skylights for furnishing the proper lighting and controlling its intensity, an organic approach to the design of four upper levels (clerestories) has been utilized. Each of these floors has been designed in such a way to introduce maximum level of natural light to the reading halls without direct sunlight. This concern has resulted in a step-pyramidal outside appearance which is in harmony with the irregular slope of the land.
The scale of the huge building has been minimized at close quarters, so that it does not overwhelm the visitor and invites the potential user to step inside library. The building has several entrances from north, east and west. The entrances are linked by a network of pathways, piazzas and open squares. The water that runs in the streams along pathways and finally falls into the pool situated in the piazza, serves not only to refine the atmosphere but to lead the users to the interior areas of the library. The user is guided through green shaded pathways, along arcades and flower beds into the main piazza of the library. Around the pathways there are situated miscellaneous facilities and activities such as bookshop, the coffee shop, the museum and the prayer room. These informal internal areas serve to introduce National Library to the users. Internally the library provides some grand sceneries, reminding the glory of Iranian cultural heritage