The building with a total floor space of 9,200m2 is made up of two parts: a flat-roofed square volume divided into three floors with basement, and a towering, nine-storey, rectangular volume devoted to book stacks. The library is built on a sloped site so that half of the basement lies above grade. Access to the building is provided by a series of wide steps leading up to the ground floor which is elevated above grade. The building was designed with an economical modular net of 4.5x4.5m to allow the flexibility for the interior space. The building is constructed with reinforced concrete columns, beams, and slabs. Partition walls are brick, some of which are covered with marble. Exterior facades are composed of simple concrete claustra blocks.

Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture