Since the turning point in Germany, the city of Cottbus has lost nearly 20 percent of its population, like so many other towns in Eastern Germany. Recession and a high level of unemployment add to this. Among the bearers of hope within the region is the Brandenburgische Technische Universität (BTU) north of the downtown area. Right next to faculty buildings built in times of the GDR and featuring a strong contrast to its surroundings, the Informations-, Kommunikations- und Medienzentrum (IKMZ) was opened here in 2004. The spectacular building, located on a little hill at a height of about 32 meters and designed by Basle architects Herzog & de Meuron, serves as a library and datacenter of the university and provides nearly 600 reading points.

Giant Ameba

Towards the outside, the library presents itself as a curved glass building without any edges or corners resembling the layouts of a giant ameba. The unusual shape without front or back and with four protrusions of various sizes seems to have come into existence rather accidently. However, it was developed by Herzog & de Meuron explicitly based on movement analyses and as a response to the urban-planning situation. Another striking feature of the building are the letter clusters printed inside as well as outside onto all areas of the double glass facades, creating a façade ornamentation of a nearly sacred look full of tension. Looked at from afar, it seems as if one was not standing on a university campus, but right in front of a sacred place. The letters of various density printed above each other comply with the required g-values of the façade, depending on the respective geographic direction.

Brightly-colored Interior

A totally different impression is provided by the IKMZ, inside which Herzog & de Meuron have stacked six freely accessible library levels above the lobby along with an administration level. The wave-like outer walls as well as the ceiling sections of various sizes create a flowing spatial continuum with multi-façeted lines of sight. The moving impression is emphasized through a brightly-colored spiral staircase as well as through floors and columns that are just as colorful, poison-green taking turns with pink, blue, yellow and magenta. Other contrasts are provided by metallic shimmering ceilings and partition walls made of expanded metal. The range of colors is something you definitely have to get used to. And calm and concentrated work is also nothing you would automatically think of here. However, this color doping will definitely keep you from falling asleep! In any case an advantage especially during long examination phases.