Fribourg’s library starts a sustainable new chapter with ECOCycle®
A sustainable new chapter is being written in the center of Fribourg, Switzerland, where the ambitious renovation of the city’s historic Cantonal and University Library is nearing completion with Holcim’s EcoPact low-carbon concrete and circular technology ECOCycle® inside.
Today’s historic neo-Baroque building dates back to 1910, but was starting to show its age by the 2010s. In 2020, work began on the library’s repair and refurbishment and extension, to ensure it would remain at the heart of the city’s academic and cultural life for decades to come.
Construction consortium Antiglio-Frutiger faced the challenge of renovating and extending a historic city icon with sustainability and circularity in mind. The architectural plan they chose involves hollowing out and rebuilding the inside of the original administrative building while preserving its neo-baroque facade.
Credit: Marco Di Francesco
Credit: Butikofer De Oliveira Vernay Architectes Sarl
Credit: Etat de Fribourg
Credit: Etat de Fribourg
Recycled concrete: a “prerequisite”
In addition, Antiglio-Frutiger planned to build the new extension by demolishing two library buildings originally renovated in 1976. This extension has now taken shape as a striking architectural statement, featuring a glass facade with vertical wooden slats and strips of anodized aluminum.
With sustainability concerns at the forefront for the build, Antiglio-Frutiger chose EcoPact low-carbon concrete with construction demolition materials (CDM) inside, to meet more than 50% of the project’s concrete needs.
“Using recycled concrete was a prerequisite for the client to meet the project’s sustainability requirements, and this led us to explore the most advanced solutions on the market,” says Pierre-Yves Poncet, construction manager and board member of Antiglio SA.
Susteno cement containing high-quality mixed granulate from demolished buildings was the basis for bespoke ECOPact concrete mixes that also contain recycled aggregates – preserving primary materials and leading to a 10% further CO2 reduction versus standard recycled concrete.
“Both in terms of processing and the final result, there is no discernible difference compared to non-recycled concrete,” Pierre-Yves Poncet says.
In 1909 the Cantonal and University Library was born, and its new building with today’s neo-baroque facade was inaugurated in 1910.
ECOPact low-carbon concrete meets 50% of the project’s concrete needs
On completion in 2026 the library will offer almost 15,000m2 of usable space
Holcim offers reliability and speed of supply
To cater for growing demand for recycled concrete in Fribourg – both for the library and other projects in the canton – in 2022 Holcim opened a new facility to recycle CDM into high-quality building materials at its site in nearby Avenches, 17 km to the north of the city.
Providing such a tailor-made solution helped Antiglio-Frutiger meet their ambitious sustainability goals.
“We chose EcoPact and Holcim because they were one of the few local suppliers who could supply us with recycled concrete in the required quantities and within a tight timeframe. Furthermore, their recycling plant was the only one in the region able to produce certified recycled gravel.”
With its official reopening planned for August 2026, the renovated and extended Cantonal and University Library will offer 14,600 m2 of usable space, 900 workspaces and 2,600 m2 of storage.
The new, sustainably built buildings will serve both the university and the city as modern, attractive and digital-first spaces suitable for both individual and group work, as well as for hosting cultural activities.
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