Neubau Ernst-Abbe-Bibliothek und Bürgerservice

For a long time, Engelplatz in the heart of Jena was an unused inner-city wasteland, although it already had cultural significance thanks to the Summer Festival Culture Arena and the architectural remains of the Carmelite monastery. In order to put this central area to good use, the city of Jena decided to construct a modern an energie-efficient new building to house both the Ernst Abbe Library and the citizens' service.

The aim of this project was to improve the city's infrastructure, upgrade the inner-city area and create a central point of contact for library and citizen services. For example, a large event space was created in the center of the building, which is used by the library (e.g. for readings) and the Citizen Service Center (e.g. during elections).

The central location facilitates access for the population and contributes to the revitalization of Engelplatz. In addition, the modern building offers contemporary spaces that are adapted to the needs of users and are barrier-free throughout. Following the preparatory measures for excavating the building pit in October 2019.

The building and the adjacent open spaces were completed in December 2023. The revitalization of the site, combined with the new pathways, has directly increased visitor frequency in the city center. The average number of new registrations and visitors to the library per month has more than doubled.

Several factors contributed to the success of the project. A clear objective facilitated planning and implementation, while the city of Jena actively supported the project. In addition, professional project management by the municipal company Kommunale Immobilien Jena ensured a smooth construction project.

Nevertheless, there were also challenges. The cramped construction situation and the extension to several neighbouring buildings posed increased challenges in terms of floor plan solutions, the planning and implementation of structural details for the building foundation, as well as the technological processes and organization of the construction site facilities. Continuous communication with the neighbouring buildings of the new construction project was therefore a prerequisite for the project's realization.

Overall, the new building at Engelplatz is a successful example of the conversion of an inner-city brownfield site. The project was convincing both functionally and in terms of urban development, and contributed significantly to the attractiveness and revitalization of Jena's city center.

The new building on Engelplatz is considered a success because it combines education, culture and administration centrally. With an investment of 39 million euros, including 23 million euros from ERDF funds, 2,000 square meters were created for citizen services and 3,800 square meters for the library, which offers over 500 seats. Since its opening in March 2024, the building has contributed to the revitalization of the city center and added an attractive attraction and recreation point.

The strategy is transferable, as it makes sensible use of an inner-city brownfield site, centralizes public services and strengthens the urban infrastructure. Cities with similar goals in their social and cultural landscape can get inspiration from this approach of transforming unused space and densify their cities with multifunctional buildings. A clear objective, political support and a solid financing strategy are important. For other cities, close involvement of the population and efficient project management are also recommended to ensure acceptance and smooth implementation.

https://planen-bauen.jena.de/de/europaeischer-fonds-fuer-regionale-entwicklung