ul class="overview_list " id="projectList">

  • Build Simply, Schweinfurt

    How to build using simple means in construction, building services, fire protection, floor plan design and open space and still react to the ongoing questions of climate adjustment and resiliency?

    "Build Simply" shows answers to these questions in a 5-step strategy which we developed together with our cooperation partners on levels of structural engineering, building technology and landscape design:

    1. Simple volumes connected to an active arcade
    2. Intelligent fire protection
    3. Reduction of technology through clever construction
    4. Use of local energy resources
    5. Cradle-to-cradle/Build sorted

    On an architectural level, these principles are implemented by public and semi-public spaces aligned to the common yard, the lowest building class possible, continous floor plans for a better ventilation within each apartment and a structure allowing an effective planning with wood. Nevertheless, the main focus of the design relies on the needs of people to promote a
    communal and sustainable togetherness

    Idea
    2022

  • Karstadt Recycling, Berlin

    How can we transform vacant department stores in Germany and bring them to a new stage of life with new uses?

    Hundreds of department stores stand empty in German city centers. At Hermannplatz in Berlin, an old Karstadt building could be redesigned. A new façade creates a strong face in the urban context and an invitation to a differentiated courtyard sequence, which was redesigned as a playful open space experience. Instead of shopping, living, working and community-oriented offerings now meet the needs of the growing urban society in the 21st century.

    The existing Karstadt building provides valuable building materials that are deconstructed, recycled and reused. According to the layer principle, load-bearing and non-load-bearing components are structurally independent of each other. Thus, they can be used independently in their various life cycles.
    A durable, urban façade forms the new face to the city and creates a gateway to the interior.

    A varied sequence of courtyards accompanies the crossing and becomes an urban experience: the Werkhof with its lively hustle and bustle, the Green Heart as a central interface and at the same time as a place of retreat, and the city playground, which promotes interaction and participation. Flora and fauna form the connecting element of the spatial sequence within the courtyard structure up to the roof terraces.

    Idea
    2022

  • Individuality in series

    How to allow individuality in serial pre-production with modular timber construction to respond to housing goals in a social, ecological and economic way?

    Within the framework of the competition, this question was investigated. The result: a modular and project-independent configurable floor plan system for multi-storey residential buildings in timber construction. The focus was on the possibilities of serial, cost-effective and environmentally compatible construction with high spatial quality.

    A simple basic structure forms the basis for the development of the versatile room modules. The general concept provides for a division into three spatial and functional layers, with the middle layer forming the link between the well exposed lounge layers and at the same time acting as the supplying core. To increase the flexibility, versatility and quality of the floor plan configurations, the modules are shifted in relation to each other. This creates flowing, two-sidedly lit rooms or apartments and versatile configuration options. When dimensioning the modules, requirements for accessibility, eligibility and economical logistics as well as prefabrication were taken into account, resulting in the dimensions of the room and technology module.

    The simple structure and dimensioning form the basis for the development of the room modules and the modular and expandable floor plan configurations.The floor plan types can be used equally in different building types and development forms and can be flexibly adapted to different urban contexts.Furthermore, the structure allows the adaptation to differentiated user groups -from standard apartments, to living forms such as cluster apartments as contemporary shared apartments or apartments for grandparents or teenage children.

    In order to be able to give the buildings a differentiated exterior and further increase the living quality of the apartments, the system provides for additional add-on modules. These are arranged as an additional independent layer in front of the facade and offer a wide variety of design and usage options.

    Idea
    2022

  • Humboldtblock, Berlin

    The Humboldt Block combines existing and new buildings to create a new productive quarter with a character know for Berlin, connects on many levels with its surrounding and can respond flexible on future challenges. The urban design aims to connect the area wit its surrounding - on one side the Humboldthain as an important open space, on the other side with the adjacent areas and institutions of the technology park.

    The structural setting completes the perimeter development of the building block along Gustav-Meyer-Allee. Existing and new buildings merge to form a quarter with a strong character, creating an outside view typical for the location. The part on Gustav-Meyer-Allee with its public first floor areas form the showcase, representing the new quarter. In the center of the Humboldt Block, a sequence of squares is created to connect the entrances of the new and old buildings. Those buildings face each other and form a common public space.

    The development is divided into nine north-south oriented strips of buildings, some of which are grouped together by internal courtyards. The main internal development for delivery traffic divides the resulting building strips in an east-west direction. The permeable building structure opens generously to the Humboldthain and links the quarter with its surroundings. The main thoroughfare is aligned with the two existing crosswalks of the block.

    completed
    2022

  • Schamotte Quarter, Bonn

    From a factory site to a green living quarter!

    The concept for the area of ​​the former fireclay factory in Bonn-Duisdorf transforms the industrial site into a green neighbourhood with a high quality of living. The urban arrangement of the buildings is derived from the noise impact from the south and the location within a larger city block. A four-storey block building with a stagger along the railway line shields the quarter from the noise. Two polygonal, four-storey solitary buildings in the south form the transition to the more loosely arranged buildings in the area. The structurally identical buildings fit into their surroundings by being twisted against each other and creating diverse and exciting spaces through recesses and bends.

    A neighbourhood square is being created that will serve as an identity-forming address and meeting point. An additional green open space stretches to the east, where the opposite entrances to the buildings are located.

    All adjoining municipal and private plots of land in the east and west can be integrated into the urban picture. The existing building, a shelter for the homeless, can be retained and further developed by adding another story and balconies. The green connection in the middle of the quarter will be extended and merged with a green area with a playground. In the west, a solitary structure can provide a clear edge to the neighbourhood square and minimize the noise impact on the inside of the quarter.

    All new buildings are planned as wood hybrid buildings and can be recycled and later returned to the material cycle thanks to their deconstructability. Noise protection, spatial formation, and the quality of living are not dependent on the development of the neighbouring properties, guaranteeing a functioning and green residential area.

    completed
    2022

  • Water town Limmer - Individual living in a friendly, Limmerneighbourhood

    The design for the JAWA forms an identity-creating neighbourhood that does justice to the self-imposed goals of socially and ecologically sustainable urban development. In terms of urban development and design, the ensemble fits into the Wasserstadt Limmer and, at the same time, enables a wide range of individual living and community wishes.

    The ensemble is open to the public, can be used in a variety of ways and is therefore lively due to an "open space shelf" with small and large balconies, loggias, planters, etc. Individual living requirements from small apartments with and without a patio to terraced houses or spacious family apartments come together as a clear volume and are characterized by a uniform design.

    The communal inner courtyard will be greened naturally. At its heart, there are a variety of community offerings: a large courtyard terrace for parties and events, an area for urban gardening with a barbecue area and a long table for eating together. There is also a spacious play area in the northern part of the courtyard. Sustainable construction protects the resources of future generations. Both the passive house standard and the Schottenbau grid optimized for timber construction contribute to this. In addition, the compact construction volume minimizes energy consumption.

    The maximum utilization of the possible construction volume guarantees an economical undertaking and reduces the community costs to be allocated. As a result, more apartments are created for people who can participate and contribute to the JAWA building community.

    Idea
    2021

  • Kieler Knick, Kiel

    striking gate + green neighbourhood

    The area at the Waldwiesenkreisel forms an important, previously misused entrance to Kiel city centre. With the development of the property, there is now a great opportunity to formulate a distinctive entrance to the city and to create urgently needed, high-quality living and working space.

    By shielding the street noise, a quiet, green residential area is created inside the building complex, which brings the lush, northern open space into the quarter through its open design. This creates a green gem with its own identity in a heterogeneous urban environment.

    The structural composition and the landscape-architectural interventions of the mixed-used "Kieler Knick" create a concise design language. The courtyard and the roof terraces are open-space extensions of the building and form an urban meeting point for workers, residents and visitors. Based on the diverse spatial program, places of encounter and exchange are created, as well as space for retreat and peace. The interplay of the dense trees and green roofs creates a particularly pleasant climatic situation in the quarter. In dialogue with the different types of living, a wide range of open spaces is created for shared and private use.

    Additionally, Mobility is entirely geared towards the environmental network. Pedestrian and bicycle traffic are prioritized with different concepts. All necessary parking spaces for the MIT (tenants and visitors) are organized in the two separate underground garages. There are charging stations for e-vehicles as well as possible car-sharing offers in the direct vicinity of the development cores.

    completed
    2021

  • Integrated Comprehensive School Langenhagen, Langenhagen

    With the new building respectively renovation, IGS (Integrated Comprehensive School) Langenhagen is changing from a school location with many buildings and addresses, separate uses and not barrier-free routes to an inclusive landscape of shared learning in close contact with the city and nature. Learning clusters with classrooms, differentiation areas and mixed-use recreation areas are organized around a central common centre and thus offer a variety of places to learn, linger, communicate and relax.

    The new school building is located at an urban node. While the south is characterized by loose and urban development and large-scale centre functions, the north is a green recreational area with old trees, green meadows and biotopes close to the water. The new structure mediates between these two worlds and creates a clear, urban address in the south as well as a central schoolyard in the north, which turns into a landscape park.

    Together with the existing cafeteria, the school building takes up a clear and public space. This is the place to arrive and linger for students, teachers and visitors. Supported by the large terrace of the cafeteria, this creates a lively space. The square is in close spatial connection with the newly designed bus stop, the bicycle parking spaces and the town hall square on the opposite side of the street. In the north, the structure interlocks carefully with the school park. Between the new building and the refurbished creative pavilion, there is a lively, enclosed, green break room, which connects the existing buildings (sports halls and creative pavilion) in an east-west direction. The compact building cubature maximizes the preservation of the existing trees and minimizes surface sealing.

    The building is designed as a wood-concrete hybrid construction. Optimal sun and glare protection while maximizing the use of daylight is guaranteed by blinds that align automatically depending on the amount of sunlight.

    completed
    2021

  • ecovillage - Tiny Living, Hanover

    Sufficiency means shared luxury.

    The "Tiny Living" building is part of our project ecovillage in Hanover. It is located at the transition between the centre and the Green Ring and forms the interface between the intimate neighbourhood and communal space with a high degree of publicity.

    The L-shaped building consists of two stepped structures, which are accessed and connected via a generously usable arcade. On the one hand, the arcade enables a diverse exchange between the residents and, on the other hand, a very high degree of flexibility in the use of the building. Based on a grid, a wide variety of apartment sizes and forms of living can be offered and the living space can be adapted to future changing needs.

    The main focus in the development of "Tiny Living" is residential use. This is supplemented by a shared bicycle and storage room, two laundry rooms, a common room and an experiment room for water use and food cultivation operated by the entire ecovillage with access to the adjacent aquaponics greenhouse.

    Responsible use of building materials makes a significant contribution to the sustainability of the property. As early as the construction of the building, the conservation of natural resources is included through a design that is suitable for recycling. Through the targeted choice of materials and the possibility of a clean separation of the elements used, the amount of waste is reduced and the rate of reuse and recyclability increases. The greatest possible use of the renewable building material wood not only minimizes the CO2 emissions during the construction of the building but also serves as important CO2 storage.

    With the development of our ecovillage project in Hanover, there is a great opportunity to make an important contribution to future-oriented urban development with a balanced triad of social, ecological and economic sustainability. Find out more here.

    in progress
    2021

  • CLG Training Institute, Chalimbana

    A very special project in our portfolio is the Chalimbana Local Government (CLG) Training Institute in Chalimbana, Zambia as it can be seen as a good example of a passive and self-sufficient city. The aim of the masterplan was to increase the quality of life of both students and academic staff of the Institute, to structure the campus for the long term, and to provide the grounds with a clear, recognizable identity.

Low-tech in construction but high-tech in designing, we created a plan that included everything needed for an autarchic project. In a very sustainable manner, we used the excavated soil to press it into bricks contributing to the buildings being passively cooled and heated. To achieve that we mainly used the sun energy. From a special angle and material of the roofs to the orientation of all buildings to strictly East-West, with the main facades (North & South) avoiding the low angles of the sun, CLG Training Institute became an eco-friendly vision made into reality. Also, we made sure that the rainwater and the cleaned sewage can drain into the groundwater locally, granting a precise water cycle.

    The existing road provides access to the campus by car. Simultaneously, a new main route for pedestrian connections is established as the new 'heart' of the campus. It runs between the mostly residential area on the North and the educational program on the South side of the grounds. These two clusters - housing and education - at the two opposite ends of the campus are surrounded by the lecturers' houses, and by leisure activities. By closing off some of the student housing blocks, small neighbourhoods are created, with inner gardens and courtyards providing atmospheric living quarters.

    completed
    2021

  • De Dorpse Flat, Nijmegen

    social, cosy, flexible
    living circularly in de Waalsprong

    For the Waalsprong quarter in Nijmegen, CITYFÖRSTER created a design for 70 social rental homes. The skyrocketing housing shortage is linked directly to the climate crisis and biodiversity loss. Seeing the potential of new social housing, we focused on high density, flexibility and low-tech design solutions to propose a circular construction.

    A large main volume adjacent to a large sports hall is combined with smaller building volumes facing the park: An exciting combination with a high density of housing that still retains the community feeling of a small-scale, cosy neighbourhood.

    The various buildings, terraces, squares and apartments are connected by a network of stairs and bridges with a central lift core in the main volume, which invites you to explore, exchange and interact.

    The main volume and the smaller buildings are built from the same modular wooden elements, allowing the constructions to be disassembled and reused at the end of their lifespan. The floor plan of all apartments can be arranged flexibly. The units can be joined together so that the new development can easily adapt to changing housing demands without high costs or complicated interventions.

    Low-tech design solutions such as an awning, conservatories and solar chimneys ensure low energy consumption and reduce material use. Other installations are set up as demountable modules to round off the circularity concept.

    completed
    2020

  • New Tirana City Hall, Tirana

    Designing the New City Hall for Tirana offers a unique opportunity to shape the home of the current and future community, and to represent the values of the people of Tirana. The building should introduce a typology that reflects and outlines the features of Tirana as a diverse, inclusive, human and connected European capital. A manifesto for a City Hall 2.0, open to all. The goal is to provide a space for a genuine encounter between civil society, administrators and politicians, to encourage debates.

    The building comprises an efficient ring with offices that surrounds a collective atrium, which is composed of extroverted and interconnected volumes that provide space for a dynamic set of functions for both the city administration and the public. The City Hall is fronted by a civic square, a new public space which is conceived as an open-air community centre that houses many different functions for every type of use and age. Minimized energy consumption, the use of natural and efficient technologies and local renewable energy generation makes the New City Hall the first zero carbon emission building in Albania. The main structural parts of the ring office are made of locally available, sustainable wood, with the goal of becoming a carbon-neutral building even in construction.

    Idea
    2020

  • Drymades Village, Drymades

    Located in Drymades beach, the holiday resort Drymades Village is composed of a series of stepped courtyards framed by architecture blending the project into a cohesive village feeling. Following the topography with a 15-meter height difference, the architecture articulates the ground levels to the stepped courtyards bringing an introverted feeling, while on the three upper floors, the units incorporate extended terraces and balconies, expanding the public life to all the levels.

    Typologically the villas are approached by the study of the predominant architecture of the location and the aim to find a different output to a resort project where individualization breaks a monotonous design. The iconic image of the Mediterranean villages will be communicated in the architecture with pre-determined elements, such as roofs and facades that compose a catalogue to personalize the villas. Mainly three differently sized units form the masterplan varying from studio units to large family units. They can also be joined horizontally and vertically, widening the possibilities for future owners.

    In total, six plazas are interlaced to each other, forming a large interior courtyard that articulates the private with the public space through openings in the architecture. Located at different heights and alternating one to the other, they open up the views of the seafront and offer a range of activities to the visitors. The main approach for the landscape is to keep as much as possible existing vegetation. The landscape changes its composition from a dense forest in the lowest part of the plot to an urban plaza in the highest part. Native species (cypress and olive trees), and plants with low maintenance (Bougainvillea, Cacti), constitute the selected vegetation.

    in progress

  • Kronsberg South A.2, Hannover

    The city block is structured by two cuts towards the public street. In this way, a community courtyard with neighboring pathways is created. The perimeter block development consists of six residential units and twelve townhouses on the east side. The street-facing brick facades are representative and respond to the importance of the entrance to the quarter. The spacious inner courtyard is zoned into a communal green center, surrounding paths and the private gardens lining the first floor apartments. All building entrances are barrier-free and all apartments are planned to be barrier-free. Each apartment has an outdoor sitting area and a small storage room. The underground parking garage is located in an L-shape under the northern block and is accessible from all staircases of the apartment buildings. There are also 145 bicycle parking spaces, some of which are equipped with charging stations.

    Idea
    2020

  • circUlar Hall - Green Ring, Mannheim

    The existing U-Hall is the heart of the BUGA. A green ring floats above it as a landmark visible from afar.
    It is a living sculpture that stands for sustainable recycling management, the willingness to experiment and a spirit of optimism.

    This circularly conceived tree hall, brought into the vertical, is not only part of the exhibition, but also a break in the tour and a place for the best views over the entire site. The tree house, built from recycled building materials, provides a habitat for flora and fauna, exhibition opportunities for field research and allows views of the solar power plant on the U-hall. Thus the ring is the central location of the U-Hall. This is where the tours and guided tours start, where people meet and where smaller and larger events take place.

    Idea
    2020