Designs of the Year

Architecture Award Winner 2011: Open Air Library, KARO Architekten and Architektur+Netzwerk, Germany

The development of the Open Air Library began five years ago when the community of Magdeburg staged an intervention in an abandoned district that formally housed a public library. A 1:1 scale model was developed using beer crates and overwhelming public support was shown with book donations that totalled more than 20,000. Occupying a central outdoor space, the Open Air Library operates a trusting open shelves policy where residents are free to borrow books 24 hours a day.

“The district citizens have intensely been involved in every step of the design process from the very first idea to the construction design. Numerous actions and events on the ground helped to focus the attention of the citizens, city administration and the broad public on the development of the open air library and helped join forces for the project.” Eling-Saalmann.” Participation process, Architektur+Netzwerk

Architects: Karo Architekten

Participation process: Architektur+Netzwerk
Eling-Saalmann.com
lesezeichen-salbke.de