Bibliothek der Universität für angewandte Kunst Wien

April 21, 2026 In Libraries

The former Customs and Finance Directorate building in Vienna was built by Alois Schumacher in 1895-1901 as part of the second Ring development. Its wedge shape tapers towards the banks of the river Wien, where it ends in a handsome narrow facade with a portico of Corinthian half-columns.

A modern, brightly lit library or office space with shelves of magazines, a green chair, workstations with computers, and a sign reading “THIRD PLACE” near large glass windows.
The library of the Vienna University of Applied Arts sits on top of a new build that fills the shell of the former finance directorate building.
A modern library interior with rows of bookshelves on the right, white tables with black chairs on the left, and large skylights letting in natural light from above.
Immediately under the roof, the library is lit both by side and dormer windows.

The Directorate vacated its building in 2003, after which it was used as a hostel for asylum seekers, the largest in the city. It is now used by the Vienna University of Applied Arts (“die Angewandte”), which had outgrown its historical location across the river.

Completed in 2018, the transformation was led by Riepl Kaufmann Bammer Architekten and was the continuation of the transformation of the 1960s Wörle-Schwanzer-Trakt across the river, also taken over by the Angewandte. Both projects earned the ZV building prize in 2019.

A line of study booths numbered 1 to 5. The walls are a copper-coloured lattice of perforated steel.
A series of work cubicles behind a metal lattice provides a visual anchor point for the library.

The front portion of the Finance Directorate building, with its monumental stairwell, was preserved in its entirety. Of the rest of the complex, only the exterior facade remains. Inside, the architects have installed a vertiginous atrium, around which classrooms and studios are arranged to form an “introverted campus”. The reinforced concrete structure surrounding the atrium holds the building together and was accordingly carefully designed in partnership with Swiss civil engineer Jürg Conzett.

A small study booth with a black chair and desk lamp. The walls are a copper-coloured lattice of perforated steel and the numbers 4 and 5 are affixed next to the doors.
A narrow window in each of the cubicles opens to the central atrium.

The library sits at one end of the atrium, on the top floor. This disposition allows the reading rooms to be generously lit by skylights and dormers. A series of individual working spaces are staggered on one side of the atrium, hidden behind a copper coloured lattice.

A modern, multi-story atrium in a building with white walls, glass railings, and open walkways. The area is well-lit with natural light from large windows and skylights. A few people are visible on the walkways.
A mannequin lies on the floor with its upper body hidden behind a large blue gift box with a red ribbon, against a concrete wall with the word bibliothek and an arrow sign.
Two green chairs and a small round white table are placed by a large window overlooking white and red buildings.
A modern multi-story building interior with large glass windows, open walkways, and visible tables and chairs. The space appears bright with natural light and has a minimalist design featuring concrete and glass elements.
A vertiginous atrium encircled by open walkways fills the core of the former office building.
A white Neoclassical building stands between trees on a riverbank. The facade is painted white with a large stylized red letter A.
Painted with the Angewandte logo, the original facade on the Wien river marks the entrance to the university extension.

This post is part of a series on adaptive reuse in libraries. See the list of such projects I am maintaining or view other posts in this series.

The images shown here are from July 2025.

References

798093 Universitätsbibliothek die Angewandte 1 apa 50 creator asc title 19485 https://thomasguignard.photo/wp-content/plugins/zotpress/
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Marboe, I. (2019, January 30). Umbau & Erweiterung Universität für Angewandte Kunst Wien. Architektur Aktuell, 2019(1–2).
Pfeifer Steiner, M. (2019). Universität für angewandte Kunst – Umbau Vordere Zollamtsstraße, Riepl Kaufmann Bammer Architektur - Wien (A). nextroom.at.
Prokop, U. (2006). Alois Schumacher. In Architektenlexikon Wien 1770-1945. Architekturzentrum Wien.
Erweiterung Universität für angewandte Kunst, Wien/AT. (2020). DBZ Deutsche BauZeitschrift, (02).



Content note

Library detail pages are primarily a place for me to collect information I gather on the libraries I visit, and are frequently updated. None of this should be considered authoritative, I am not an architect, nor a historian. If you notice something incorrect, please let me know!



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