Istanbul’s Rami Library named the world’s best ‘green library’
Approximately 36,000 square meters of historic building fabric was preserved, while 51,000 square meters of green space was created around the library. (AA photo)
Rami Library, affiliated with the Culture and Tourism Ministry, won first place in the “Large-Scale Project” category at the 2026 Green Library Awards organized by the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), beating 62 entries from 27 countries.
According to a statement from the ministry, the winners of the Green Library Awards, organized for the 11th time this year by IFLA’s Environment, Sustainability and Libraries Section (ENSULIB), have been announced. Rami Library in Istanbul received the top prize in the “Large-Scale Project” category for its project titled “Transforming a 19th-Century Historic Barracks into a Climate-Resilient Urban Commons.” A total of 62 entries from 27 countries were submitted to the competition.
Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said the historic Rami Barracks, which had fallen into disuse, had been transformed into a modern library that serves as an international example through its environmentally friendly approach, strong green infrastructure and model as a living public spaceErsoy added that Rami Library, the only project from Türkiye to reach the finals in the large-scale project category, brought home the first-place award at a ceremony held in Busan, South Korea.
