New University Library in Freiburg by Heinrich Degelo

In the two-hundred-thousand city of Freiburg im Breisgau in southwestern Germany, nearly 25,000 students are educated. The same number is also true for active readers of the local university library, which was founded as far back as the early 16th century. Throughout its existence, the library has managed to collect over 3.5 million book volumes. The original building from 1978 no longer sufficed, prompting an international architectural competition in 2006, which was won by the Basel architect Heinrich Degelo. The markedly sculptural design, reminiscent of a crystal mountain, immediately elicited mixed reactions from the local citizens. On one side, there were concerns about the absence of dialogue between the new building and its surroundings. From the other camp, arguments emerged that the library has an appropriate appearance for today’s age of digital media. This led to a struggle between preserving the city’s historical image and the desire to create a new icon reflecting the successful development of the city and the university.
The demolition of the original library from 1978 was accelerated by the use of poor-quality concrete, asbestos, and the overall values not meeting current energy standards. A significant part of the reinforced concrete skeleton, three stair cores, and the entire basement of the original structure were preserved. The total cost of the radical reconstruction soared to 53 million euros. Heinrich Degelo arrived at the final shape by trimming his cubic form in response to neighboring buildings until a dynamic crystal emerged. In addition, he considered suitable sunlight exposure and the prevention of unpleasant reflections. While the building still raises questions among passersby, new users who moved into the library at the beginning of the winter semester praise the overall pleasant and open atmosphere.

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