TEAM

The Kyiv Polytechnic Institute was massively expanding its premises in the 1970’s and 80’s. Under the guidance of the architect Volodymyr Lykhovodov, a number of new modernist blocks were constructed, including the contemporary building of the scientific library. The new library was built in 1980 at the initiative of the Institute’s rector Hryhoriy Denysenko, whose name it currently bears. It is located at the center of the university campus, on the Knowledge Square, as part of the modernist architectural ensemble along with the Palace of Culture and the General Technical Faculty building. The new library was conceived as a synthesis of booklore, architecture, arts, and new technologies. It is built from the individual design that has been awarded the Shevchenko National Prize, and has a unique composition. The building has a parallelepipedal shape with asymmetrical rectangular offsets on the eastern and western sides. The southern part of the building is the eight-storied book depository; the northern part consists of library rooms organized around an atrium. Overall, there are fifteen specialized reading halls for 1500 places and five library loan rooms. The library interior has hardly changed since it was built. The design has a light grey color scheme. The walls are decorated with murals created by the famous Ukrainian artist Volodymyr Pasyvenko that depict the relationships between humans and nature. The style of the paintings alludes to the Ukrainian poetic cinema and Mexican muralism. Each of the four floors of the library has an independent composition referring to one of the four elements: “Man and Fire”, “Man and Water”, “Man and Earth”, “Man and Space”. Nowadays, the KPI Scientific Library is one of the biggest libraries in Kyiv with the book stock containing around 3 million items.