Ulm Central Library – Germany Architects :Prof. Gottfried Böhm (Köln)
Located in the historic centre of Ulm, the new central library building draws on traditional architectural forms to enable the old and the new to enhance each other. The potentially disruptive impact of the construction on this location is minimised by using glass as the only construction material. The building is entirely enclosed in a glass skin that exactly follows the shape of the building, which resembles two overhanging square stories topped with a glass pyramid. From the third floor upwards, the sloping glass is a double façade. The solar control safety glass (which cuts down the reflection) is combined with a patterned layer of glass. Large ventilation flaps and a moveable sunshade between the two skins of the façade prevent the building from overheating and protect against glare in sunny weather.
