Munich
Philologicum Uni LMU
University

The design of the LMU Philological Library library embodies both the response to the urban context and enables the design a new state of the art library, while engaging with respect with the existing historical building.

Leo von Klenze´s urban architecture has a defining impact on Munich´s character and creates the backdrop at Ludwigstrasse for the LMU. Due to both to the historical heritage classification of the building and to the massively imposing closure of the streetscape by buildings on Ludwigstrasse, student life turns onto the informal and intertwined courtyards within the blocks.

As a result, we revised the location of the new entrance and linked the library with the inner courtyards of the campus block. By opening up the facade of the historical building with a large glazed facade, the relationship to the courtyards becomes explicit.

The merging together of various departments’ book holdings creates an architectural equivalent with the decision to create 3 entrances and an open public ground floor which acts as a student learning center area. The book inventory is concentrated in the core area of the building, while the reading and workspaces are oriented to provide both views across the building as well as to the outside. The staircase defines the open stack area and offers a “promenade architecturale” through the various sections of the library. The floor planes shift within the building creating areas of displacement and the resulting voids act as visual connectors. Each and every area is designed to create its own ambience, to cater to the diversity of students and scholars needs using the LMU library.