A Cattle Market Becomes a University Library in Germany

Abstract

The Hochschule Düsseldorf/University of Applied Sciences Düsseldorf (HSD) moved to a completely new campus in Düsseldorf Derendorf in 2016. The site had been formerly used as a municipal slaughterhouse. The library is in a heritage listed building, an old cattle market hall. This chapter describes the history of the buildings including their original use as municipal slaughterhouse and cattle market hall and their abuse during the Nazi regime in the 1940s as a gathering place for people being deported. The historic context demanded sensitive reuse and provided the impetus to establish a memorial within the building that has now become the Hochschulbibliothek/University Library. The planning process for the reuse of the building is outlined from the viewpoint of the library, and the technical infrastructure, architecture and interior design are described. The historical preservation of the building, the history of the building itself and the requirements regarding the new use influenced the design decisions and provided special challenges to all groups involved in the planning process.