Lucerne Central and University Library

Heritage renovation

In the autumn of 2019, the Lucerne architects Thomas Lussi and Remo Halter Casagrande completed the restoration of the preservation-listed library. The architects competently solve the complex tasks involved in heritage renovation today: the ideal preservation of the substance, discovering and restoring often nuanced, detailed qualities in the original building, the careful static stabilisation of the structure and the gentle renewal of individual elements as a result of use in and around the building. The original building was erected in 1951 according to plans by Otto Dreyer – one of the most important Lucerne architects of the time. The library was widely recognised throughout Switzerland and considered “very subtle in its form and choice of means, forward-looking and timeless, with lasting value”. The book documents the original 1951 building using historical plans and photographs, provides insight into the building-historical analysis before the renovation and uses extensive plans and photo material to describe the strategy and measures by the architects in restoring the architecturally important historical building.

Edited by: Heinz Wirz
Articles by: Cony Grünenfelder, Siegfried Moeri, Rudolf Mumenthaler, Ulrich Niederer, Stanislaus von Moos et al.
Photos: Leonardo Finotti