Information, Communication and Media Centre in Cottbus

Seemingly homogeneous in its form, the new library of the University of Technology in Cottbus is nevertheless full of surprises. From one side, it has the appearance of a slender tower-like structure; viewed from another side, it resembles a massive fortification. The eight-storey building accommodates the university book collection, which was previously scattered over a number of locations. The new sinuous, glazed volume stands somewhat elevated on a bare hill. Plans exist, however, to transform the site into a park-like landscape with dense tree plantings, which will make the new structure less dominant and soften the contrast to the surrounding developments.

Internally, the library space reveals an astonishing complexity. It is indeed a single space that extends from the first basement level to the sixth floor, but its continuity is scarcely perceptible. Although the vertical linking voids are all located next to the facade, they are of different heights and are offset to each other from floor to floor. The rounded protrusions of various sizes contain neutrally coloured reading areas, the character of which is largely determined by the ingress of daylight. The bookshelves are housed in the lower-height, more colourful central zone. This layout helps to create a good sense of orientation within the building. The various storeys are linked by two solid vertical cores, which contain services, staircases and lifts.

Thanks to a series of energy measures that have been implemented, the building complies with the conditions laid down in the German “Solar Construction” support programme, despite the eight-storey-high internal space and the large proportion of facade glazing. The energy concept for the heating and cooling takes account of vertical temperature layering, the drop in temperature along the areas of glazing and the great depth of the internal spaces. Two combined heat-andpower units, a peak-load boiler, an absorption cooling plant, a heat pump and four areas with geothermal bores help to reconcile demands for a regenerable energy supply with the need for an agreeable indoor climate.

The double-skin facade consists of a curtain wall of single glazing and an inner layer of double glazing. Opening casements for ventilation are confined to the seventh-floor administration tract. Sunshading is provided by fabric blinds in the space between the facade skins and by screen-printing on the glazing in the form of superimposed Arabic, Latin and Cyrillic handwriting. The layers of writing merge to form purely ornamental patterns. The seemingly random changes of density in the printing are a precise response to the different g-values required of the facade, according to aspect.

Lageplan, Maßstab 1:3000 / Site plan, scale 1:3,000

Text: Sabine Drey