New state library by HG Merz

Bright contact book and reader.

2013-02-26

项目标签

设计公司: :; HG Merz
位置: :; Germany
类型: :; Architecture
材料: :; Glass
标签: :; Orange Interior Design Berlin
分类: :; Library Culture Architecture

非常感谢HG Merz将项目介绍和项目图片授权gooood发行。更多请至：HG Merz on gooood
Appreciation towards HG Merz for providing the following description:

一个人拿着一本书到光亮处，这便是图书馆的起始。

位于柏林的wilhelmine图书馆新阅览区最近终于完工。新阅览区良好的适应了原来的建筑。这个下沉式的宽敞开放阅览空间被半透明的表皮包裹。这层表皮就像一盏神奇的灯，白天为内部引入光亮，到了夜晚，又向外部发出光亮。空间上部主要是白色，宽敞而明亮。下部的色彩是红色和黄色的组合，这是高贵的，可以激发读者阅读激情与快乐的色彩。

用光明惬意的联系书与读者。

” A man with a book goes to the light. That‘s the way a library begins. ”

This precept of Louis Kahn in designing a library was our principle for this task. A graceful wilhelmine library building finally gained back it‘s heart (1) , after it got lost in partly devastation. The new reading hall‘s draft is orientated to the basic idea of the building, the longtime missed, Direttissima established by Ernst von Ihne: the mise-en-scene of the array of rooms beginning with the open Lindenhalle, the Brunnenhof, the great stair hall and via the vestibule to the climax of the building complex – the central reading hall. The cubically shaped light body of the new reading hall, which elevates itself over the massive foundation, adapts the proportions of it‘s predecessor. It‘s dimensions are constantly getting underestimated: even if it fits almost modestly in the much greater wilhelmine building, you could easily place the Berlin Cathedral in it. In the ascent to the translucent room lies the climax of the building‘s axial development.

The descended spatial structure and it‘s rythm have been revitalised and evolved. Without denying the historical roots, the new construction builds a bridge to the present day; the building and therefore the institution undergo a contemporary and modern contemplation. Also in exterior perspective the luminous cube appears as a definite emphasis. Without abandoning architectural sovereignity, it fits in the building‘s structure.

▼Stairway to the Public Reading Hall
Photographer: Jörg F. Müller, Berlin,Photo credits: Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin – PK / Jörg F. Müller

▼Circulation Desk next to the stairway to the Public Reading Hall
Photographer: Jörg F. Müller, Berlin，Photo credits: Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin – PK / Jörg F. Müller

From a techninal point of view the building project is to be characterized by the highly demanding, minimized to the most necessary supportive structure design, which was developed in cooperation with Werner Sobek Engineers (Stuttgart), a planner for supportive frameworks. The concrete elements are built in with highest accuracy, there are no comparable constructive paragons – this construction could therefore be entitled a prototype. One detail for elucidation: with it‘s 20 metres height the maximal drift tolerance is set to 10 millimetres, which is extremely little, extremely precise.

Just as complex and innovative is the design of the facade: it consists of three layers of hot finished glass and translucent texture. The entire structure of the luminary serves as well for the air conditioning as for the light control.

▼The Public Reading Hall Unter den Linden designed by HG Merz, Artwork “Noch Fragen?” by Olaf Metzel
Photographer: Jörg F. Müller, Berlin，Photo credits: Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin – PK / Jörg F. Müller

The light (2) falling in during the day and emitting in the surrounding inner courtyards by night is adjusted by the layers of this translucent shell. Again individual technical solutions and an architectural language arbitrating between tradition and innovation. They make the reading hall a light, open space dedicated to concentration (3) .

For all that we found solutions giving the new building an exceptional and fresh appearance (4) . Nevertheless it will blend in to the wilhelmine environment unpretentiously and naturally.

Not to forget the numerous indispensable aspects in the background apart from the spectacular new building and often invisible, but not less important for the functioning of the institution „state library“: fireprevention and climate, construction physics and statics, security and media technology and ultimately the ensuring processing of traditional architectural substance.

1 )The missing link between book and reader! For almost 50 years a dignified place for celebrating the culture of reading, this highest passion of the human mind.
2 )The essential element of the new reading hall. Spanning over the wooden basin, filled with books, a luminary provides the hall with a unique atmosphere. In place of the practical-fussy work station a spacious, bright volume invites for reading and studying.
3 )Simply air, lotʻs of air, which takes the narrowness of a inner courtyard in a city, lets it shine all around and – most importantly – facilitates the thoughts.
4 )„Yellowish-red“ or „Reddish-yellow“: according to the Goetheʻs Theory of Colours itʻs always a noble colour. As the defining floorcolour it complements the „rose-woody“ veneer of the surrounding book basin. The freshness, joy and cheerfulness of orange shall stimulate the readers and magnify their passion for reading.

▼Entrance to the Rara- Reading Hall Painting Alexander von Humboldt Photographer: Jörg F. Müller, Berlin
Photo credits: Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin – PK / Jörg F. Müller

▼Rara- Lesesaal with clock-object by Tobias Rehberger above the entrance
Photographer: Jörg F. Müller, Berlin，Photo credits: Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin – PK / Jörg F. Müller