Bibliosphere / Greeen! Architects

Greeen! Architects shared their competition proposal for a new library and office building for the University Duisburg-Essen, in Germany.  The young architectural practice specifically  focuses on ecological and sustainable design approaches.  For their proposal, a large ecological complex intends to “create a place where city and university are woven together.”

More about the proposal after the break.

The “Bibliosphere”, a transparent and naturally ventilated environment, provides a dominant focal point for the complex.  The strong element differs from its surroundings and “becomes a unique city- and landmark.”   The facade of the sphere is orientated toward the city and  implements a variety of ecological strategies to provide a comfortable atmosphere for users.  The reading rooms benefit from natural ventilation and lighting, solar protection and generous view of the cityscape.

The project aims to acheieve a gold certification through the German Sustainable Building Council. By using renewable energy ressources and avoiding fossil fuels, the complex’s energy consuption is more than 50% less in comparison to actual German standards.