NOLLENDORFPLATZ
BERLIN - SCHÖNEBERG

The urban development model is taken up and varied by closing the vacant lot on the square with an urban house, while a garden house is created in the courtyard interior. In contrast to the front building, this shows up as a green house, which combines the qualities of the city with those of the landscape. Both in its architectural appearance and in its urban location, the building clearly shows itself to be an attractive address on the square.

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The garden house is clearly legible as such and designed as an annex to the front building. It is gradually staggered back on the upper floors and thus offers space for generously green roof terraces. In addition, all facade fields are planted with hornbeam hedges in firmly integrated but invisible troughs.

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The choice of material for the two parts of the building represents a central aspect of their sustainability. The urban building on the square will have a facade clad with local natural stone. The architectural form is created by the targeted milling of inclined edges and refers to a classic tectonics. The alternating use of rough-pointed and sawn surfaces emphasizes the function and character of the individual elements. The garden house has a facade made of charred and therefore weatherproof and pest-resistant wood. Due to the carbonization, the material is also practically non-flammable.

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The construction of the building is as  frame construction with a stiffener end  solid core made of reinforced concrete and  wood-concrete composite ceiling conceived. This minimizes the proportion of concrete and uses as much wood as possible, which binds CO2. Wood is also used for the facade of the garden house. The natural stone of the front building releases little CO2 in its production.