Book depository

Ivory tower in an industrial area

As a treasure trove of knowledge, the book depository has to function perfectly, above all technically and logistically. As a rule, this type of building, which is often housed underground or integrated, does not appear publicly at all. This means that its collecting and preservation services have remained hidden until now. The strategic decision to separate the book depository for Vienna from the library's use and administration areas and to house it in a new building is accompanied not only by economic advantages but also by a potential for architectural innovation: on the outskirts of Vienna, a completely new type of building can take shape.
The book depot as a solitary building, like logistics centres or server farms elsewhere, will have an effect on the urban space solely through its lofty volume (Bigness). Only a small part of its interior is used for human habitation and requires natural lighting and views. As a well-air-conditioned storage facility, the depot is unusually windowless and monolithic by its very nature.
This project attempts to give the archetype "book depot" on the outskirts of Vienna an adequate and at the same time significant architectural expression, in a sense as an "ivory tower in an industrial area".