13,000 Square Metres for 130,000 Metres of Shelving

While the renovation of the University of Vienna's main library will continue until 2027, almost 3 million books have been moved to a new building specially designed as a book repository on the former Siemens site in Floridsdorf in 2025.

Given the limited space available in the historic building on the Ring Road, the aim was to separate the library holdings from the user and administration areas. BIG’s new ‘knowledge repository’ with delivery and sorting station and generous storage space had to meet numerous requirements: a high load-bearing capacity, optimal conservation conditions, complex fire protection and energy-saving air-conditioning technology. Pittino & Ortner designed a compact hybrid timber construction with a reinforced concrete skeleton consisting of as much recycled concrete as possible. The almost windowless façade facing the S-Bahn is intended to grow into a vertical green space. The supply of specialist literature to institutions in the city centre is now ensured by a shuttle service with electric vehicles, which delivers not only to the main university but also to the University of Technology, the University of Applied Arts, the Academy of Fine Arts and GeoSphere Austria, which also use the book repository.

With: Stefan Ehrenberger, Bundesimmobiliengesellschaft; Klaus Ortner, Pittino & Ortner; Nikolaus Rappert, University of Vienna

Moderated by Suzanne Kříženecký, Az W