"The Jacob-und-Wilhelm-Grimm-Center" is a conceptual work of urban architecture of sculptural proportions. The library's design reflects the Humboldt-University of Berlin's status as a world-renowned, time-honoured and yet modern and innovative institution for instruction and research. Located between the River Spree and the elevated commuter rail line in the immediate vicinity of Museum Island, the 10-storey structure rises over the Berlin skyline and is an important fixture of the city's cultural landscape. At the centre of the building, shielded from the noise of the city, is the stepped Central Reading Room with seating for 252 readers. In total the library has over one thousand public work spaces in a variety of rooms. With over two million freely accessible volumes, it will also be Germany's largest open-shelf library.

Author Biography

Max Dudler (born in 1949 in Altenrhein/Switzerland) worked in the office of Oswald Matthias Ungers after his architectural studies at the Stadelschule in Frankfurt/Main and the Hochschule der Kunste in Berlin. In 1986 he founded an architectural collective together with Karl Dudler and Pete Welbergen. In 1992 he opened his own offices in Berlin, Frankfurt and Zurich. In addition to his architectural practice Dudler is also always called upon to serve as a lecturer, for instance at the University of Dortmund, the Academy of Art in Dusseldorf and the University of Bologna. Dr. J. Christoph Burkle is an architectural critic and publication director of Niggli Verlag. Milan Bulaty is director of the Central Library of the Humboldt University Berlin.