Staatsbiliothek Unter den Linden

General refurbishment, redevelopment and extension of the largest university library in the German-speaking world.

Founded in 1661 as a royal court library, the Berlin State Library came under the aegis of the Prussian State Administration in 1810 and subsequently developed into one of the most important scientific reference libraries in the world. Severe damage during the Second World War and the division of Germany interrupted the library’s development for several decades. After reunification, the Staatsbibliothek Unter den Linden became part of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation. In 1998, the Foundation decided to completely renovate the building in keeping with the original designs of the court architect, Ernst von Ihne, and to remodel existing sections of the building and add new buildings to extend the library. The international architecture competition, which was launched in 2000, was won by the architectural firm HG Merz, Berlin – Stuttgart. Modernisation work on this architectural landmark began in 2004 and has been implemented without interrupting the library’s regular operation. The building’s technical systems have also been brought up to date. BAL joined the project in 2011 and is responsible for project management throughout the second construction phase until 2019.