As a society, we have developed an awareness of the artistic and historical value of monuments. We restore and conserve them because they are a treasure for the culture, history and collective memory of a territory.
Today, with the growing concern about climate change, the field of heritage restoration no longer seeks only to preserve culture, but also to bring more sustainable architecture to cities. Reusing a building saves the energy and materials of constructing a new one.
Therefore, architectural reuse is taking on great relevance as a sustainable design process. In particular, the story of today's Rami Library in Istanbul is noteworthy. War is still a very important agent of heritage destruction. Therefore, that a military barracks ends up becoming the largest library in Europe is a nice victory for culture. There is no better antidote to war than knowledge.
At the end of the 17th century, the Ottoman Empire suffered several defeats. They understood then that it was necessary to better structure their army and began the construction of barracks. In particular, the Rami Barracks was built in the early 19th century to house the troops. The barracks were designed in the traditional Ottoman style, characterized by large courtyards, high walls and ornate gates.
Throughout history, this barracks continued to serve its military function. During World War I and World War II, the barracks served to house prisoners of war. Later, it was the United Nations peacekeeping base during the Korean War.
From the 1960s, the barracks was used as a training center for the Turkish Armed Forces until the 1990s, when it was dismantled and handed over to the Istanbul Municipality.
In 2010, Istanbul was declared European Capital of Culture and, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, gave the order to transform the Rami Barracks into a library. Restoration, renovation and reconstruction work began in 2014 and the inauguration took place in January 2023.
During the careful restoration process, natural and local materials were used to respect the original construction techniques. In this way, the historic building was able to retain its original structure. In addition, water quality systems, waste management, sustainable infrastructure and energy efficiency were implemented. Finally, the facility has a large interior garden that offers a breath of fresh air to Istanbul's residents and visitors.
For all these practices, among others, in 2022 The Rami Library was awarded the first Biosphere Sustainable Museum Certificate from Biosphere Sustainable in Turkey. The Biosphere Certified seal is awarded after verifying that sustainable practices are being properly implemented, demonstrating that this library is fulfilling its commitments.
As it turns out, the Rami Library has a vast inventory of more than 2 million books, but it is much more than a library. With its 110,000 square meters of usable floor space and a seating capacity of 4,200, the complex hosts social events throughout the year. Its long corridors are decorated with works of art inspired by Turkey's past and modern artists. It also houses biology and chemistry laboratories, where the restoration of books is carried out through scientific studies.
Therefore, this library is also a cultural meeting place that brings together nature, art and science, thus contributing to the creation of a new heritage in Istanbul.
