General State Archive Addition Karlsruhe

The new building extends the archive in the protected historical existing building with public reading rooms, exhibition and seminar rooms, as well as workshops and storage depots. The incorporation of the pre-existing orientation defines a small square towards the road as a 'new address' for visitors. Through the clear gap to the existing building, a garden courtyard becomes the 'green centre' of the ensemble. While the horizontally layered uses in the interior each receive a distinct homely character, the building shell consists of an expanded metal façade.