Thoughtfully Integrated
The heritage-protected town hall, meticulously restored, and the new library together form an architectural ensemble near Brühl Castle
The town of Brühl launched a competition for a new town hall extension, which the architectural firm JSWD won. The goal was to sensitively restore the listed 1960s building and pair it with a contemporary extension—creating a forward-looking civic center for the community while strengthening the surrounding urban space.
The greatest challenge lay in seamlessly joining the new structure to the existing building. While the town hall's historic façade anchors the market square, the library extension needed a strong presence toward both Steinweg and the Janshof. JSWD's answer: a confident monolith that sits comfortably within the urban fabric. The design echoes the fine-grained character of the historic old town while extending the monumentality of the original structure. Three interlocking building masses rise toward the street, creating a rhythmic, staggered gable pattern. The carefully composed sand-colored brick façade reads distinctly: bold cutouts emphasize the entrances, perforated patterns articulate the office levels, while decorative brickwork provides acoustic privacy for the library. These flat-format bricks wrap the roof surfaces too, reinforcing the building's sculptural, cubic presence. Three separate entrances—from the market square, Steinweg, and Janshof—converge in a central ground-floor foyer, housing citizen services and tourist information as the building's primary reception point. The library flows across multiple levels, each tailored to different themes and acoustic needs. The main information desk occupies the first floor, while the children's section nestles in the basement, opening onto a naturally lit reading courtyard.
The new building also stands out for its superior energy performance, achieved through a combined heat and power system, thermally activated concrete, and integrated external shading. The Janshof—previously a parking lot—was reimagined by landscape architects RMPSL into a vibrant, car-free plaza with cooling tree canopy. By weaving together intimate and public outdoor spaces with urban appeal, this former service yard has been transformed into a genuine civic landmark.
Photography:
Christa Lachenmaier
www.christalachenmaier.com
Franco Casaccia / JSWD
www.francocasaccia.de
Taufik Kenan
www.taufik-kenan.com
(Featured in CUBE Cologne Bonn 03|25)
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