All interventions can be checked in detail on the floor plans above but allow me to summarize the most important transformations. Ground floor: Instead of limiting accessibility through barriers and prescribing a uniform way of use, spatial and programmatic demarcations are radically removed. Additionally, public functions are located here (e.g., student-organized exhibition space, info desk, bookstore, restaurant, VR-room, print shop, seminar and event rooms). The offers are not only directed at the actual users of the workplaces on the upper floors, but are also supposed to attract passers-by, therefore activating the whole floor for everyone in the academic community. Corresponding to the notion of a platform, a dynamic and nonlinear spatial configuration is created that connects multiple and heterogeneous activities in a decentralized manner. The formerly individual functions can thus communicate. In this nonlinear networking, a spatial indeterminacy is created that generates emergent actions. The 2nd floor defines a transitional space between the public area of the ground floor and the working zones on the upper levels of the Ideathek building. Infrastructural functions are located here facilitating the visit, like a childcare center or lockers. In the so called “community space” already more productive but still playful functions are offered. For example, collectively curated media shelves are located here where the community can autonomously gather and discuss content on a relevant topic. Or large interactive screens can be used to collectively browse knowledge via the above-outlined search interface. But also, some learning-clusters are already situated here, that define the core of the Ideathek-concept. We will come back on these in a bit, let’s go through the rest of the floors for the sake of completeness. On the 3rd floor, we see that it is mostly made up of learning-clusters. One new function is added here: areas acoustically isolated by glass walls accommodate the quiet individual work as we know it from today's libraries. The 4th floor consists mainly of these secluded zones for individual work. Parallel to that, the only large stock of books in the building is located here. Finally, the library's existing media collection will be supplemented with a projection room.
Contrary to the clearly structured linear organization of the former library, the Ideathek offers maximum spatial diversity. It doesn’t just overwrite the existing functions but complements them with a variety of new ones. Nevertheless, there is also a certain differentiation in the vertical: from more public and communal functions on the lower floors, to more protected, individual functions on the upper ones. Instead of clear boundaries between the single functions, it seeks to establish fluid, functional continuums that enable a highly differentiated range of possible activities. Participative interaction is promoted to overcome the dualist setup of designers and users (or producers and consumers) – rather everyone shapes the space through its use. Hierarchical formality is turned into an emergent, informal interplay of humans and technological knowledge carriers.
Contrary to the clearly structured linear organization of the former library, the Ideathek offers maximum spatial diversity. It doesn’t just overwrite the existing functions but complements them with a variety of new ones. Nevertheless, there is also a certain differentiation in the vertical: from more public and communal functions on the lower floors, to more protected, individual functions on the upper ones. Instead of clear boundaries between the single functions, it seeks to establish fluid, functional continuums that enable a highly differentiated range of possible activities. Participative interaction is promoted to overcome the dualist setup of designers and users (or producers and consumers) – rather everyone shapes the space through its use. Hierarchical formality is turned into an emergent, informal interplay of humans and technological knowledge carriers.