Architects von Gerkan, Marg and Partners (gmp) have been awarded first prize in the competition to modernize Hans Scharoun's Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin (Berlin State Library). Restructuring the library, their proposal for the golden “ship of books” was made to meet the demands of 21st century institutions while celebrating the existing building. The new project aims to showcase the history of Scharoun building and its development.
The Federal Office for Building and Regional Planning invited fourteen international architectural firms to a competition for the repair and restructuring of the Potsdamer Straße branch of the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin (Berlin State Library). The jury commended the winning proposal's approach to expanding areas that are freely accessible to the public. The Potsdamer Straße branch of the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin is located in Berlin’s Tiergarten district. As part of Berlin’s Kulturforum, the so-called Bücherschiff, or “ship of books,” was built from 1967 to 1978. Today, the research library has national and international significance. The building is protected by landmark status and is considered an icon of postwar modernism.
Stephan Schütz, Partner of gmp Architects, said that, "In addition to a carrying out a comprehensive overhaul with historic preservation in mind, our design sets itself the goal of rethinking the public areas of the library and generating contemporary qualities of use and occupancy." As the team explains, the redesigned building will be barrier-free. The lobby will be reorganized, and the former open-plan office in the eastern part of the building will be expanded into a publicly accessible area. Next to the new entrance at the northeast corner of the lobby, directly opposite Marlene-Dietrich-Platz, will be a cafeteria with 140 seats; south-facing reading terraces with views of an expanse of water located there establish fluid transitions between inside and outside. This opening out to the city is a response to the present-day urban conditions. The lobby will be expanded to include an exhibition from the collections.
The team further explained that in addition to the conventional reading room and the rooms for group study, new event spaces, workshop areas, and informal work islands offer diversified spatial options. Further substantial expansion of the freely accessible areas is achieved by relocating the access control to the first floor, just in front of the reading room stairs. By doing so, the lobby space there is regained as public space and the southern entrance stair is given new life. Finally, the acoustic conditions are improved by moving noisy activities to separate rooms away from the lobby.
Competition 2019, 1st prize
Design Meinhard von Gerkan and Stephan Schütz with Christian Hellmund
Project leader competition Anna von Aulock
Competition design team Bao Wangtao, Stephanie Brendel, Marta Busnelli, Jan Peter Deml, Anna Jordan, Tobias Schmidt, Kristin Schoyerer, Nadja Stachowski, Tang Zihong, Thilo Zehme
Expert consultants Larissa Sabottka, Pro Denkmal, Architectural Historian / Dr. Klaus Werner, FU Berlin, Director Philological Library / Tobias Behrens, ADA Acoustics & Media Consultants GmbH, Architectural Acoustician
Client Federal Office for Building and Regional Planning (BBR) on behalf of the Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz (Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation)
