The construction of a central library in the 21st century is required to meet the demands of a classic library, as well as provide low-threshold access to digital information and communication in general. The transition from old to new also addresses the issue of urban space: the cube sits between the conflicting priorities of the new quarters and the park landscape of Tempelhofer Feld and therefore functions as a beacon. It also needs to account for the main flows of pedestrians and the junction of public transport such as the S- and U-Bahns. The striking structure is immediately surrounded by the „poetic mystery forest“: A wysteria canopy arching over the entire scene of the library provides a complex play of light and shadow and density and colour during the change of the seasons.

The hub function in the public foyer is carried on into the barrier-free structure itself. The public event space with restaurants on the ninth floor (the highest publicly accessible floor) acts as a counterpoint to this.

The areas of the free scene and the administration lie above this. In between are the library sections and the path for the flaneur, which represents an underlying architectural concept. The closed stacks and shipping and disposal areas are housed in the basement.