Details
The new National Repository Library building in Kuopio has been designed both for books and for efficient day-to-day work. SRV delivered a user-focused, lifecycle-wise building where materials can be preserved under the right conditions.
We built a new facility for Senate Properties to meet the National Repository Library’s growing space and operational needs for the next 15 years. Located in Hiltulanlahti, Kuopio, the National Repository Library is no ordinary office building: it must simultaneously support the staff’s daily work, the handling of large volumes of materials and the long-term preservation of books.
135 kilometres of shelving
The National Repository Library is a nationwide library operating under the Ministry of Education and Culture, serving both academic and public libraries. The ground floor houses the material reception bays, office facilities and collection storage areas, which also extend to the first floor.
We designed the National Repository Library’s new facilities in close cooperation with the client and future users. The staff’s expertise played an important role, as the facilities needed to make their work more efficient at different stages: receiving, processing and storing materials and providing interlibrary loans.
The storage system in the collection areas, comprising a total of 135 kilometres of shelving, is at the heart of the library’s operations. The storage facilities were designed to accommodate future growth, as the library’s collection increases by as much as 1.5 kilometres of shelving each year.
The right conditions
We favoured lifecycle-wise choices in the construction of the National Repository Library. The project was also guided by the current EU Taxonomy criteria, which require environmentally and climate-sustainable solutions.
Through careful design, we reduced the building’s carbon footprint by 25 per cent. We achieved the stringent energy-efficiency target through material choices, energy solutions and measures supporting biodiversity. The offices were located along the building’s north façade, reducing the need for cooling.
We also focused on maintaining the right indoor conditions and controlling humidity using modern building services engineering. For example, cooling coils were installed in the collection areas to keep humidity at a constant level regardless of the season.
A versatile project delivered with zero defects
No purpose-built new building had previously been constructed for the National Repository Library. Under the design and build contract, the contractor was responsible not only for construction but also for the site and design, bringing SRV’s expertise into the project at an early stage. We handed over the project to the client with zero defects at the beginning of 2025, and operations in the new facilities began in August 2025.
”The National Repository Library is a unique organisation for which a purpose-built new building had never previously been constructed. The project used a new type of contract in which the contractor was also responsible for the site and design. This enabled us to make extensive use of the contractor’s expertise throughout the project.”
Tuomas Koivumäki, Construction Manager, Senate Properties
When you build, build wisely
SRV helps you take your project from idea to completion. By listening to our customers, we build spaces where functionality, costs and sustainability are balanced throughout the building’s entire life cycle.