Staatsbibliothek Berlin

Germany
Hans Scharoun

Context

Stockholm City Library

Sweden
Gunnar Asplund

Context

Born in Bremen, Germany in 1893 and studied architecture in

Werk. In 1955 he helped to reestablish the Berlin Arts Acad-

Erik Gunnar Asplund (1885-1940), was a native of Stockholm. His work progresses

Berlin. In his career he won many building competitions but

emy. After the war there became a change in Scharouns work,

through a variety of styles. From 1911 until 1930 his language, in opposition to the

only a few buildings where actually built. One of Scharouns

its hard to determine whether its triggered by social political

prevailing National Romanticism, was a modern classicism based on a free integra-

first building and key project in his career was the Weissenhof-

circumstances or by Hugo Haring. Its sad that Scharouns work

tion of classic and vernacular themes, and influenced by his travels in the USA and

siedlung house in Stuttgart. The plan contains a functional axis,

only became really recognized after his death and not during his

Greece. 1930, the year of the Stockholm Exposition, saw a transition to a personal

thats leading from the entrance to the work room, which would

career.

interpretation of the modern movement, with a strong functionalist perspective. The

serve to order the space in the building. That is something that is

work of his last years retains a commitment to modernism, while returning to a mode

very recognizable in the Library of Berlin. The functional axis in

Scharoun and Haring saw perspective as an expression of geo-

that learns from tradition and from classicism. For example, his Woodland Crema-

the Berlin Library is also strongly present, shown in chapter 3.1

metric power and control, with its orthogonality, axis and sym-

torium (1935) makes use of columns which while modern in design, convey classical

called Spatial order.

metry. They designed buildings with the concept of a-perspective,

dignity. The Lister County Courthouse, built between 1917 and 1921, has a theatrical

following the readings of Jean Gebser.

feel. Each faade has a different character, with none specifi cally relating to the oth-

During World War II Hans Scharoun remained in Germany

ers, nor offering much clue to the interior within. However, the Courthouse shares

where he participated in Harings art school called Kunst und

with the later Stockholm Public Library a form focused on a circular central space
wrapped around by stairs. Classicism underpins form, but classicism admired because
it represents a rational approach to form.

Main plot
Main building
Associated plots
Associated buildings
Surrounding plots
Surrounding buildings

Plot Kulturforum
Staatsbibliothek
Newly occurred buildings
Buildings
Roads
Water

back

elevation 2

ele
vat
ion
1

front

1th floor | S 1:2000

3th floor | S 1:2000

2nd floor | S 1:2000

Groundfloor | S 1:500

3th floor | S 1:500

1th floor | S 1:500

section

section

Groundfloor | S 1:2000

Basement | S 1:500

Basement | S 1:500

4th floor | S 1:500

Roof | S 1:500

Section | S 1:2000

roof

4th floor
3th floor
2nd floor

Elevation 1 | S 1:2000

1th floor
ground floor
basement

6th-8th floor | S 1:2000

4th floor | S 1:2000

Elevation 2 | S 1:2000

Section | S 1:500

2nd floor | S 1:500

Exterior

Exterior

Furthest plane

Closet plane

Elevation 2, repetition of from | S 1:500

Literal repetition, front view | S 1:500

Interior

Repetition of form, front view | S 1:500

Depht, back view | S 1:500

Interior

Spatial hierarchy

Vertical constructive structure

Smooth threshold
Hard threshold
Transition

Tresholds

Serving
Served
Serving / served

Public routing

Walls and floors

Cores
Special colums
Square colums
Round colums

Groundfloor | S 1:500

1th floor | S 1:500

Sequence

Section | S 1:1000

Ground floor | S 1:1000

Sequence
Section | S 1:5000

Groundfloor| S 1:1000

Groundfloor| S 1:1000

02 Perspective | Cylinder

01 Perspective | Entrance

1th perspective

1th floor | S 1:5000

Section| S 1:1000

Section | S 1:2000

Section| S 1:1000

Section | S 1:5000

1th floor | S 1:2000

1th floor | S 1:5000

2nd Perspective

3th Perspective

Conclusion
The State Library of berlin is not ordered
by strict rules, but by good balance. Spaces
flow almost randomly through the building. Space is continious and it seems like
space never ends. At the back there is a

Section| S 1:1000

Groundfloor| S 1:1000

04 Perspective | Reading room

Conclusion
serving core. In this core are all main lo- separation between any part of this fluent
gistic transport lines of visitors, staff, books space. This building is almost simular to a
and air. To get to the main reading room, landscape.
a route through the core and entrance hall
has to be followed, but there is no hard

Unlike the State Library of Berlin this

building follow strict rules for ordening.
Proportion, symmatry and hierarchy are
important terms for this building.

Balance

Served reading spaces

Section, served reading spaces | S 1:500

Serving core

Transit

Section, transit | S 1:500

Main reading room

Granulation / other functions

Section, granulation / other functions | S 1:500

Granulation

Continious space

Group 2: Nick Daemen, Martin Overveld, Tijmen Stuurman

Group 2: Nick Daemen, Martin Overveld, Tijmen Stuurman

Primary
Secondary
Tertiary