Fassade des Georg-Eckert-Instituts in Braunschweig, mit der markanten Lochblechfassade im Obergeschoss und großzügiger Glasfassade der Bibliothek im Erdgeschoss.

Old Books, Old Walls — New Life

Georg-Eckert Campus of the Leibniz Institute for Educational Media | Georg Eckert Institute

BIG SEE Architecture Award 2024 Winner

The Georg-Eckert Campus, designed by Sehw Architecture, is a modern research campus of the Georg Eckert Institute for International Textbook Research in Braunschweig, Germany, as part of the Leibniz Association. The project includes the construction of a new library and the refurbishment and upgrading of existing buildings. Villa von Bülow, a neoclassical building from the 19th century, is listed as a historical monument and has been carefully restored. The former nurses’ residence of the adjacent hospital, dating back to the 1970s, has been incorporated into the research campus, also refurbished and repurposed as an administrative building. A delicate glass bridge connects the new with the existing buildings, creating an exciting interplay between old and new and a dynamic sense of identity.

Blick von der Straße auf den Neubau des Georg-Eckert-Instituts in Braunschweig.
Blick von der Straße auf den Neubau des Georg-Eckert-Instituts in Braunschweig. Blick von der Straße auf den Alt- und Neubau des Georg-Eckert-Instituts in Braunschweig.
Georg-Eckert-Institut Braunschweig
Park mit Blick auf den Neubau des Georg-Eckert-Instituts in Braunschweig.
Blick vom Hof auf den Neubau des Georg-Eckert-Instituts in Braunschweig.

“driven by the fascination of continuing the stories, rethinking spatial relationships and uncovering and revealing the qualities of the existing structures”

Fassadendetail der Bibliothek auf den Hof des Neubaus des Georg-Eckert-Instituts in Braunschweig.
Fassadendetail der Bibliothek auf den Hof des Neubaus des Georg-Eckert-Instituts in Braunschweig. Blick vom Hof auf den Neubau des Georg-Eckert-Instituts in Braunschweig.

The two-storey library addition is the centrepiece and face of the ensemble. The ground floor features a transparent design, allowing views into the institute’s extensive book collection and glimpses of the park beyond. The upper floor is adorned with finely structured and perforated metal elements made of anodised aluminium, giving the building a light appearance amidst the greenery of the park and setting it apart from the plastered volumes of the existing buildings.

Der Innenbereich der Bibliothek des Georg-Eckert-Instituts in Braunschweig.
Der Innenbereich der Bibliothek des Georg-Eckert-Instituts in Braunschweig.
Der Innenbereich der Bibliothek des Georg-Eckert-Instituts in Braunschweig.
Blick auf den Tresenbereich der Bibliothek des Georg-Eckert-Instituts in Braunschweig.
Blick von der Bibliothek auf den Hof des Neubaus des Georg-Eckert-Instituts in Braunschweig.
  • Project type

    New construction
    Redevelopment

  • Purpose

    Education

  • GFA

    8,500 m²

  • Project status

    Completion 2022

  • Period

    2016 – 2022

  • Procurement

    Public tendering process

  • Awards

    Contract awarded
    BIG SEE Architecture
    Award 2024

  • Construction cost

    13,100,000 €

  • Service phases

    2 – 8 (HOAI)

  • Project team

    Koert op den Brouw
    Birgit Schoenbrodt
    André Stülp

    Mark Wachendorfer