A New Chapter for Brühl: Town Hall and Library by JSWD

Brühl’s city center has quietly welcomed a thoughtful addition to its civic landscape—a carefully balanced blend of new and old in the form of an updated city hall and library. Designed by Cologne-based architecture firm JSWD, the project replaces a 1960s annex and brings fresh energy to both the municipal infrastructure and adjacent Janshof square. It’s less about making bold statements and more about refining connections—between spaces, histories, and the community.

Continuity Through Contrast: JSWD’s Approach

JSWD, a practice known for clear material expression and methodical planning, was awarded the commission following a competition win in 2017. With offices in Cologne, Berlin, and Tampa, the firm has experience in both ground-up projects and adaptive reuse. In Brühl, they were faced with the challenge of joining the new with the historically protected structure of the original town hall. Rather than compete, the design acknowledges and complements.

The resulting ensemble doesn’t overwrite the past—it expands on it. Three staggered volumes face the street with their gabled ends, echoing the local architectural language without mimicking it. Materially, the team chose light-toned brick for both facades and roofs, amplifying the geometric clarity of the new addition while keeping it in dialogue with its surroundings.

Interweaving Functions and Flows

The program extends beyond a single municipal purpose. Offices, civil registry services, and a full-scale public library all share the same structure. JSWD approached this as an opportunity to create synergies across functions. For example, the children’s library sits on the basement level but opens out onto a courtyard, bringing in light and connecting indoor activity with an external pause space. Public navigation is streamlined through careful signage and an open-plan foyer that bridges old and new, linking the pedestrian zone with the car-free Janshof.

This central entrance hall serves as a convergence point—for visitors, for library patrons, and for those accessing municipal services. From a user’s perspective, the building offers a sense of spatial legibility without feeling sterile or overly formal.

Material Simplicity and Environmental Intelligence

The sustainability of the project is less about flashy green tech and more about quiet, smart choices. JSWD retained as much of the existing structure as feasible, conserving both material and memory. Energy needs are met by a combined heat and power system. Daylighting is prioritized throughout the building, with triple-glazed windows, solar shading, and perforated brick screens filtering light and heat where necessary.

Concrete component activation—a method that uses the thermal mass of structural concrete to regulate internal temperatures—further reduces energy demands. The result isn’t just a new civic space, but one that takes its long-term environmental impact seriously.

Built to Belong

In scale and articulation, the new city hall and library extension avoids spectacle. It’s a civic building designed not to dominate, but to embed itself within the rhythms of a small city. By carefully interlocking old and new functions, JSWD has created a space that responds to both its historical setting and contemporary public needs. In doing so, they’ve delivered a building that is not just future-ready, but also rooted—conscious of its role within a layered urban fabric.

Technical Sheet