UNIVERSITY LIBRARY GRAZ 2015 -

With a ‘floating’ extension the relation between the University of Graz historic Library and the campus is redefined. Located at the intersection of four major anchors, the scheme becomes a dynamic crossroad framed by two public axes: the ‘Neue Universitäts Strasse’ on the north, as a linear, car-free axis, and the ‘Nexus’ on the south transforming a backyard into the University’s hub. The scheme unveils the 1890’s neoclassical library building -subject to subsequent interventions over the years- and reorganises programmes into a cohesive, flexible, user friendly whole. The new building connects on ground level the main programmes -a multipurpose auditorium; the library entrance, the university archive, the student service centre while in their in-between, flexible spaces of over 1.000m² accommodate exhibition and lounge zones.

At the core remains the neoclassical library building with its restored two-storey organization and spatial logic. It is accessed at the piano nobile in its historic configuration. The vertical circulation accommodated in the book-lined wings leads to the new library level. At +7.30m above ground, in projection of the building’s neoclassical terraces, the generous double-height spaces form a unique reading and working landscape. Meandering unobstructed through the old and new, the user’s perception counterbalances between internalised façades and panoramic views of the outdoors.

The forth façade of the building, its roofscape, is a translucent roof membrane construction that refers to the glass roof of the existing main reading room, converses with the context and regulates the natural daylight.

The sustainable use of materials, energy resources, mechanical systems and waste management ensures building sustainability and a minimal ecological footprint.