Allameh Tabataba’i University, founded in 1985 in quite modest premises in central Tehran and relocated in recent years to a new vast campus in the western outskirts of the capital, is the first Iranian university with a ‘Green Library.’ The University’s central library underwent major renovation in 2017. Following a six-month operation, the 6,400-square-meter library, now one of the largest of its kind in the country, was opened in December 2017 at a ceremony attended also by the Minister of Science, Research and Technology. The Central Library has been designed and built in line with the requirements and features of ‘Green Architecture’ and environment friendliness. Some of its main features are as follows:
– The Library has a grass-covered roof, which has been designed along the pattern of Tehran’s famous “Nature’s Bridge” – traversing over Modarres Highway – compliments the green space of the University campus.
– The building is considered ‘green’ in terms of energy conservation, inclusive of the design and quality of windows, internal lighting, and indirect solar radiation. A total of eight halls in the building have been designed in a way to ensure using up to 80% of natural light.
– The structure of the Library, including the underground floor and the ground level, have been designed in a manner to minimize thermal exchange between the building and the outdoor space to prevent energy loss.
– The reservoir of the library is restrained by concrete walls inside the soil and makes the walls insulated and prevents any moisture entering the reservoir of reference books.
– In addition to indoor meeting halls, the space at the back of the building comprises a vast open space designed to be used as public space for meetings as well as for social gatherings.
– A large green space on the northern side of the library building has been designed along the pattern of Isfahan’s famous, historical Chahar Bagh (Four Gardens). The large pond in the middle and the small ponds around it interconnected through water streams.
– The building’s fully-encompassing fire control system has been designed and built in accordance with the state-of-the art preservation criteria.
