11 September 2024 press release

On 10 September, a jury of professionals and experts evaluated the entries submitted to the design competition for the realisation of the German National Library's extension building in Leipzig and chose the winners.

The German National Library has been collecting all text, image and sound media published in Germany, about Germany or in the German language since 1913. All the stacks at the Leipzig location will soon be full to capacity. Another extension is therefore to be constructed at Deutscher Platz – the fifth in the German National Library's history.

20 architectural offices were selected to submit their plans and models during a preliminary competition which invited entries from all over Europe. The jury has selected the following three winners from among the 16 offices which sent in their work.

1st prize: CODE UNIQUE Architekten GmbH, Dresden
2nd prize: AV1 Architekten GmbH, Kaiserslautern
3rd prize: Heinle Wischer Partnerschaft freier Architekten mbB, Dresden

The designs created by Waechter + Waechter Architekten BDA PartmbB and by Scheidt Kasprusch Architekten GmbH were also commended for remarkable work in individual areas.

A decision as to which of the award-winning designs will be realised will be made during the negotiations set to follow the competition.

Both the winning designs and the other entries submitted will be presented to the public in an exhibition to be held at the German National Library in Leipzig from 18 September to 1 October 2024.

The extension will be constructed on the south-east side of the original building on Deutscher Platz. It will consist of a new repository building housing 213 kilometres of shelving and providing sufficient space to archive all the works added over the next thirty years. The construction work is expected to start at the end of 2026. The new building is scheduled for completion in 2030.

More information

Fifth extension building
www.dnb.de/extension

Exhibition of competition entries
18 September to 1 October 2024
Monday to Saturday 10:00 to 18:00 (closed on 21 September)
Admission free
www.dnb.de/extensionexhibition

Preview and guided tour for press representatives to be held on 17 September at 16:00 (Registration at bau-l@dnb.de)

Background

The German National Library collects, documents and archives all written publications and sound recordings issued in Germany since 1913 together with works in German and about Germany published worldwide. Every year, the number of physical media works added to the collection covers about 3.3 kilometres of shelving at each of the locations in Leipzig and Frankfurt am Main.

It also includes all editions of notes and resources of music. The German National Library also holds extensive special collections of inestimable value in the German Exile Archive 1933–1945 and the German Museum of Books and Writing.

The German National Library's unique mandate is to catalogue this ever-growing repository of knowledge and preserve it for posterity. The German National Library offers a comprehensive range of services at its sites in Leipzig and Frankfurt am Main along with digital services that can be accessed all over the world. It regularly organises readings, exhibitions, presentations and concerts to draw attention to its holdings and promotes a culture of books, reading and music with a diverse programme of events.

Contact

Images for editorial use

Press image material is only available in German.