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Central Library Project at Alexanderplatz: Chance for Development

Redirects: Alexanderplatz offers chance for Central Library expansion proposal

Redha, Director of Alexanderplatz, announces expansion opportunity for the central library
Redha, Director of Alexanderplatz, announces expansion opportunity for the central library

Alexanderplatz: Piling Up Potential for Central Library Shift

Redirecting Main Library's Possibilities at Alexanderplatz - Director: Alexanderplatz - Central Library Project at Alexanderplatz: Chance for Development

The new CEO of Berlin's Central and Regional Library (ZLB), Jonas Fansa, eyes Alexanderplatz as a compelling possibility: "Any solution that bridges the ZLB's current separation into two locations is worth considering," he states. The Galeria department store on Alexanderplatz might become a new home—boasting a massive 35,000 square meters of space and direct transportation links.

No Department Store Eviction Planned

Fansa explains, "Alexanderplatz has issues—but immense potential." A library here would not just anchor education and culture, but also foster social stability. "We'd attract a diverse influx of city-dwellers," he predicts. Nevertheless, he stresses: "We have no intention of displacing a department store. It seems, however, that there's a plan to transform this department store into a more economically viable smaller business," reveals Fansa, hopeful for political backing.

Sarah Wedl-Wilson, the Berlin Culture Senator, appears supportive: "I've always been a proponent of public libraries, and I've consistently backed your plan in our discussions," she says, albeit adding, "However, the project's funding is yet to be secured." Fansa also desires a Senate united behind such a central project.

Priority: A Central Location

A central location is non-negotiable for Fansa. "With today's infrastructure, we cannot showcase or achieve what a central public library in Oslo, Helsinki, or Amsterdam does today," he opines. Central location, in his view, is the bedrock for rethinking public library services.

Libraries Shouldn't Be Silent Sanctuaries

Fansa envisions libraries as vibrant, interactive spaces beyond quiet reading rooms: "In cities like Oslo and Helsinki, libraries have Makerspaces, IT labs, kitchens, music rooms—libraries are platforms for mediating cultural techniques and social exchange." His primary focus rests on the youth: "I witness many teenagers voluntarily visiting us to learn and help each other. This demographic represents our future," he admits, advocating for inspiring, free, and open spaces in the ZLB.

Libraries: Confluence points of Dialogue and Innovation

Scandinavian libraries act as platforms for societal debates. "We endeavor to achieve the same extent at Berlin's Central and Regional Library," Fansa explains. Behind the Amerika-Gedenkbibliothek, they constructed a temporary building, 800 square meters, often utilized for events, exhibits, and public coworking spaces. "There are seven group workrooms there, but it's barely enough," states the CEO.

Financial Struggles and Staff Cuts Burden ZLB

A reduced budget impacts all ZLB departments. Fansa discloses that they must save 2.2 million euros annually, along with cutting 30 positions.

Amerika-Gedenkbibliothek Overwhelmed

In Fansa's view, the ZLB's two sites face a grim future. The Amerika-Gedenkbibliothek was designed to cater to 500 daily visitors, yet now caters to up to 3,500. "The building is severely taxed," he notes. Meanwhile, the Breiten Straße's predicament is even more dire: "A haphazard assortment of buildings, including former carriage houses and officers' quarters, cobbled together into a library," Fansa laments. Renovating the duo would cost around 600 million euros without tackling the root issue of the fragmented sites.

  • Libraries
  • Public Spaces
  • Education
  • Culture
  • Scandinavia
  • Berlin
  • Society
  • Digital Literacy
  • Community Hubs
  1. Alexanderplatz, with its immense potential, could become a central location for the relocation of Berlin's Central and Regional Library (ZLB), according to the new CEO, Jonas Fansa.
  2. Fansa aims to bridge the ZLB's current division into two locations with a solution that includes Galeria department store on Alexanderplatz, boasting 35,000 square meters of space and direct transportation links.
  3. Fansa clarifies that there are no plans to evict the department store from Alexanderplatz, but rather sees the potential for a transformation into a more economically viable smaller business.
  4. Sarah Wedl-Wilson, the Berlin Culture Senator, expresses her support for public libraries and Fansa's plan, yet notes that project funding still needs to be secured.
  5. Fansa emphasizes the importance of a central location for the ZLB, stating that it is essential for showcasing and achieving the potential of a public library.
  6. Fansa envisions libraries as vibrant spaces, going beyond quiet reading rooms and incorporating Makerspaces, IT labs, kitchens, music rooms, and more.
  7. Fansa believes that libraries should function as platforms for cultural techniques, social exchange, and societal debates, as exemplified by Scandinavian libraries.
  8. Fansa hopes to replicate this platform for debate and exchange at Berlin's Central and Regional Library, with the temporary building behind the Amerika-Gedenkbibliothek serving as a testament to its potential.
  9. Financially, the ZLB struggles with a reduced budget that requires savings of 2.2 million euros annually and 30 staff reductions.
  10. The Amerika-Gedenkbibliothek, designed for 500 daily visitors, now caters to up to 3,500, with the building being severely taxed.
  11. The Breiten Straße site faces an even more dire situation, consisting of an assortment of buildings cobbled together into a library, with renovation costs estimated at around 600 million euros without addressing the root issue of the fragmented sites.
  12. Despite the financial struggles and staff cuts, Fansa remains focused on creating inspiring, free, and open spaces within the ZLB, particularly for the youth, as they represent the future.

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