#ARCTIC. #SIBERIA. THIS IS TAIMYR. On March 1, construction work will begin in the building of the former scientific and technical library on Leninsky prospect, 1. At the beginning of next year, the social and cultural center Tower will be open ed here.
The Tower building is part of an architectural ensemble of two twin houses built in the 1940s as a front entrance to the city.
The interior premises with an area of almost 2 200 square meters will be restored, in compliance with all the technical conditions for cultural heritage sites.
Until recently, the building housed a scientific and technical library. A few years ago, it moved to the Old City. Valuable books were taken away, some of the publications were digitized, and some were distributed to the townspeople.
The Tower project provides for the building architecture maximum possible preservation. But there will be some changes inside. So, for the first time in its history, the building will have an elevator: a glass one that will lift guests to all six floors. For the construction of the elevator shaft, builders dismantle one of the floors.
The restoration is being carried out with the financial support of Nornickel. The contract value is about a billion rubles. The project’s dominant feature will be the first floor, which will house an open, bright space with an abundance of greenery, where you can stroll, relax, admire the Yenisey river imitation. There will also be a cafe, a children’s play center and a multifunctional room for lectures, meetings and other events.
On other floors, it is planned to arrange areas for lecture halls, co-working spaces, additional media centers, and premises such as an open library.
“The tower will appear as the project’s decoration, becoming an observation deck with huge windows. It will be possible to hold events there with a view of mount Schmidt or the historical part of the city”, said Sergey Shishkunov, the head of the Nornickel’s Polar Branch project office for the Norilsk development comprehensive measures implementation.
“We want to preserve the spirit and energy of this building as much as possible. It is familiar to every Norilsk citizen, many, including myself, have been here many times. But it is necessary that the center has a modern format and corresponds to the times. It is intended for all citizens and guests of the city, regardless of age and hobbies. This place should become a territory of attraction”, says Maxim Mironov, the Norilsk Development Agency (NDA) director.
The new format also implies a new form of management, they say in the NDA: last year they launched a competition for Tower future managers, selecting 30 participants from Norilsk and other cities, including Moscow and St. Petersburg. These people are currently being trained.
The Norilsk head, Dmitry Karasev, agrees that the Tower building deserves to remain one of the iconic places in the city.
“Like hundreds of other citizens, I am connected with this place by memories of my student years, when I, using the books of the technical library, prepared for term papers, essays, and made notes. I remember the library as it was, but I’m sure that the new public and cultural center will give the building a new meaning, no less attractive than before. The object will be preserved in terms of cultural heritage in its current form – I’m talking about stucco and other architectural elements. But what can be changed, we will change according to the latest construction requirements”.
The project is financed in close partnership between the municipality, Nornickel and the NDA. And each of them is interested in realizing the idea as accurately as possible and with respect for the place.
Earlier, This Is Taimyr reported that Nornickel would build most of the city’s renovation facilities with the involvement of contractors.
Follow us on Telegram, VKontakte.
Text: Maria Sokolova, Photos: Nikolay Shchipko, Denis Kozhevnikov, Olga Zaderyaka and Vitas Beneta
