City’s culture minister hopes to turn Galeries Lafayette store into German capital’s ‘new living room,’ but critics question likely cost

Perusing the cold meat counter in the Galeries Lafayette on Berlin’s Friedrichstrasse, Rahel Schorn was taken by the idea that she may one day come here to pore over books instead. “The location is very central,” said the business student, shopping for groceries with her mother. “And the building is large, light and airy.”

Under proposals by Berlin’s culture senator, Joe Chialo, the French department store might yet be turned into the city’s first central library, something decision-makers have argued about for more than 100 years and German librarians insist is “the chance of a century”.