Project partner: Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin

Challenge: Redesign the entrance experience for today’s and tomorrow’s library users to invite passers-by and to enhance the quality of the stay in the context of the whole aesthetical appearance of the interior and exterior of the building.

During the research phase in the Design Thinking process, our student team soon realized what visitors of the library were missing in the entrance area. The atmosphere was quite cold and not really welcoming, there was no guiding system helping especially new visitors with orientation in the building, the area did not provide an opportunity for collaborative work and there was no possibility to quickly get snacks and drinks. Still, the library feels like a second home for many of the visitors. To improve the atmosphere and use the space more efficiently, our student team developed a new concept for the entrance area with the help of Design Thinking.

Through the implementation of a series of flexible “activity zones”, modelled after the main areas of a home (living room, studio, kitchen etc.) the lobby can be transformed into a warm and inviting space to inspire and encourage users, and improving their overall experience. The flexibility of the furniture and the areas also allows users to “make the space their own” and use it for exchange and co-working. An interactive screen functions as a guiding system helping users to get an overview of the different zones and get more information about the history of the building and its architecture. The student team also designed a new piece of furniture called “Håns”. The defining element is a high backrest on two sides. It creates a private zone allowing to work individually and enables users to change position and create small co-working stations where people can work together in teams.