Scientific Library of Tbilisi State University

The Scientific Library of Tbilisi State University was built in the 1980s on Universitetskaya Street. The building was designed by architects Nodar Mgaloblishvili and Leri Medzmariashvili. Today, the Grigol Tsereteli Scientific Library is housed here, whose holdings preserve millions of books, scientific publications, manuscripts, and archival materials.

The library became part of a large-scale university campus project initiated in the 1970s. An area of about 240 hectares was allocated for the campus, where academic buildings, dormitories, sports facilities, and recreational areas were planned. Most of the project was never realized, but the library became one of the few completed structures in the complex.

The building is designed in the style of Soviet Modernism and Brutalism. Its main volume is a large concrete cube elevated above the ground floor with columns. This creates the impression that the upper section of the building hovers above the ground. The internal reading halls are designed so that natural light enters from above through high-set windows without distracting visitors from working with books.