British Council Library, Kolkata

For over 50 years, The British Council in Kolkata was housed in a sprawling 2000sqm premise with an unmistakable ‘old world’ charm. So, when the decision to move out of this lavish premise to a compact 690sqm floor in one of the city’s slickest new buildings was taken, it was greeted with mixed reactions.

The biggest challenge faced by SSA was to literally squeeze the entire infrastructure in less than half the original space; at the same time creating a user friendly environment & giving the premise a trendy new look.

SSA designed a large uncluttered reading hall and an open plan office with splashes of lilac, purple & lime green. Frosted glass & steel, carpets and power blue were carefully balanced to set the mood. Video conferencing facilities, a cyber café and online access facilities gave the new library an added advantage.