Bibliothek der Graphischen, Wien

April 21, 2026 In Libraries

The Graphische Lehr- und Versuchsanstalt in Vienna, nowadays known simply as “die Graphische“, was originally established in 1888 as a teaching and research institute dedicated to photography. It later expanded its activities to book-printing and other graphic production processes, and was the first art and design school in Europe to combine research with vocational activities.

A brightly lit library room with large windows, several bookshelves filled with books, wooden chairs, and white tables arranged for study or reading. Some books and papers are placed on the tables and shelves.
The shed roof brings in indirect overhead sunlight, perfect for lighting work surfaces.

Originally located in a city building on Westbahnstrasse, the institute moved to a larger campus designed by Ernst Schuster and Konrad Gollob in 1967. The space now occupied by the library was the former print shop, with its characteristic shed roof design.

A library interior with bookshelves filled with books, tables and wooden chairs arranged for reading or studying, large windows letting in natural light, and a gray sofa with orange pillows.
Now used by the design institute’s library, this space used to be the school’s print shop.
A building with large windows displays a prominent red Canon logo. The building is marked with the number 2, surrounded by grass, bushes, and an unopened yellow umbrella on the right side.
Exterior of the former print shop, which now includes workshops, offices and the library.

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 Bibliothek Die Graphische Wien 1 apa 50 creator asc title 19481 https://thomasguignard.photo/wp-content/plugins/zotpress/
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Czeike, F. (1981). Wiener Bezirkskulturführer. 14, Penzing (2., erw. u. verb. Aufl). Jugend und Volk.
Höhere Graphische Bundes-Lehr- und Versuchsanstalt. (2025). In Wikipedia.
Höhere Graphische Lehr- und Versuchsanstalt. (2021). In Wien Geschichte Wiki.



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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