Free University of Berlin

This building monograph details the newest addition to one of Berlin's most important institutions, conceived and built by leading architect Norman Foster. Occupying a central role in the intellectual life of Berlin since the end of World War II, the Free University is one of the leading universities in Germany. Its long-awaited redevelopment includes the restoration of the campus' iconic Modernist buildings and the design of a new library for the Faculty of Philology. This volume documents the construction of that structure. Photographs, sketches, drawings, and plans, accompanied by brief essays, reveal how this sleek and handsome four-story structure employs the principles of radial geometry. Featuring many of the environmentally sensitive and cutting-edge concepts of its acclaimed architect Norman Foster, this library's serpentine profile of floors generates a sequence of light-filled spaces that inspire learning as well as provide an optimal environment for reading and studying.