Salbke, a suburb of Magdeburg, had become increasingly rundown over the years, to the point where fresh impulses were urgently needed. A waste area at the heart of the district, where a local library had stood until its destruction by fire in the 1980s, seemed a fitting location for a new cultural focus. With the participation of the population, the architects developed a viable concept for an outdoor library. All those involved in the project then helped to build a fullscale trial model with beer crates, filling it with donated books. Because of lack of funds, however, the realization of the scheme was delayed, until finally, the Federal German ministry responsible for building gave financial support.