Instead of creating an individual icon, the library establishes relationships between Astana the city, Kazakhstan the country, and the rest of the world.

Information has traditionally been stored in the form of books, but the internet and digital storage devices have multiplied the possibilities infinitely. Books and printed media are only one form of information storage yet are still a widely accepted form of information. The library of the future is therefore an information hub connected as much to the individual user in the city as it is to the rest of the world.

The proposed building form reflects both the traditional approach and future tendencies, and it also suggests the reading of the city as a modern 21st century polycentric network of relationships. The outer perimeter is based on the square form in plan, which is representative of tradition, stability and order. The cutouts into the rigid square form open the interior of the building to the outside, providing a sense of openness and invitation.