The Observatory Hill forms a cohesive ensemble with the City Library and its three Annex volumes. The new extension aims to unify the ensemble formed by the Stockholm City Library, the Annexes, and the Stockholm School of Economics into a collective campus. This integration strengthens the educational significance of the site and enhances the monumentality of the library within its urban context.

The project acknowledges the Library’s existing structure and its recent additions, introducing a contemporary layer that complements the original design. By reinforcing the established architectural elements, the extension bridges the site’s constraints through the introduction of a continuous roof assembly, a decentralised reading hall and a methodical colonnade, creating a harmonious link between the different volumes.

These features are designed to expand the library's current offerings, creating a more dynamic and versatile environment. The sectional organization of the space introduces a linear pathway that extends from the Rotunda of the existing library into the mezzanine of the new addition, effectively bridging the library’s existing functions with the newly integrated spaces.

With the increasingly urban nature of global conflict, the preservation and renewal of damaged heritage have become central challenges in architectural discourse and practice. Many discussions about the reuse of ‘found’ heritage in urban contexts have emerged in post-war economies. The reconstruction of European cities after the Second World War continues to serve as a reference point in this debate. The large scale of devastation in German cities has provided historical points of comparison in approaches to conservation. This research investigates how the concept of continuity and relation to heritage is expressed as a pioneering method to restore monuments in contemporary architecture. The Alte Pinakothek, located in the Kunstareal area of Munich, is used as a primary case study for the investigation of this restoration ideology. The Old Pinakothek, with its progressive concept, became a model for many 19th-century museums. Completed in 1846 by Leo von Klenze, the structure was severely damaged during the Second World War. Its initial restoration plans included a complete tear-down of the original structure and the creation of a new master plan. Hans Döllgast, the architect responsible for its restoration, fought for the preservation of the Alte Pinakothek and its historical state by incorporating an effective gesture of reconstruction. He modeled the theory of continuity into practice. This paper examines his restoration ideology and key techniques involved in ruin conservation. Creative approaches to reconstitution, involving the analysis of a monumental space and its history with a focus on strategic reconstruction, have brought a shift in architectural approaches since the 1890s. The unconventional philosophy and strategic craftsmanship serve as an inventory of practices that have inspired architecture in Berlin and across Europe today.

The Old Pinakothek, with its progressive concept, became a model for many 19th -century museums. Completed in 1846, by Leo von Klenze, the structure was severely damaged post-war. Its first restoration plans included a complete tear-down and a new master plan. Hans Döllgast fought for its preservation and state of history, adding a method of plain textured exposed brickwork as a commitment to the present, consequently giving rise to a new perspective of ruin conservation. Creative approaches of re-constitution that involve analyzing a monumental space and its history with a focus on reconstruction that is strategic, have brought a shift in the way one can approach architecture since the 1890s. The unconventional philosophy and strategic craftsmanship serve as an inventory of practices that have inspired architecture in Berlin and across Europe today.

Keywords: Modern restoration, Creative re-building, Analytical futures, Alte Pinakothek, Repair, Craftsmanship