Rococo hall and the Bücherkubus at the Herzogin Anna Amalia Library: Extensions for conservation, use and memory

This article analyzes the spatial and functional relationships between the Rococo Hall of the Herzogin Anna Amalia Library in Weimar and its twenty-first-century additions, the Bücherkubus and the underground storage (Tiefmagazin), from architectural and conservation perspectives. Originally established in the eighteenth century as a three-storey court library within the Grünes Schloss, the Rococo Hall became a significant site of memory for Weimar Classicism, combining a prestigious interior with controlled public access and an important book collection. Following late twentieth-century expansions and especially the 2004 fire, new structures were introduced to address increasing needs for research, storage and preservation. These interventions created a clear functional division between the historic core and the new buildings. The study focuses on the fire damage and subsequent reconstruction, arguing that the Rococo Hall has been transformed primarily into a space of memory and exhibition, while intensive use and most of the collection have been relocated to the Bücherkubus and Tiefmagazin. Using a qualitative case study approach, the research evaluates historical and architectural documents alongside spatial and visual analyses. It proposes transferable principles for balancing conservation and use in historic library extensions, managing risks, and reorganizing architectural layers of memory.