The recyclinghouse is an experimental residential building in the Hanover district of Kronsberg. It is a prototype that tests the possibilities and potentials of various types of recycling in the real laboratory and shows a cycle-oriented and resource-saving planning approach.

On the one hand, the recycling center relies on recyclable building products, such as the raw construction made of glue-free solid wood elements. On the other hand, recycled materials such as the foundation made of recycled concrete or wall insulations made from old jute bags are used. There are also large quantities of used components being used which, if possible, originate from the building stock of the client GUNDLACH or have been obtained locally. Particularly important is a recycling-fair design that allows the use and disassembly of the components without loss of quality or a sorted separation of the materials after the end of life.

The construction industry is one of the largest waste producers and consumers of resources and a significant contributor to global CO2 emissions. When planning buildings, today it is mainly the energy consumption in the operation of a building that is considered. The considerable amounts of "gray energy" involved in the production of buildings remain largely unconsidered. Here, the existing building stock can also be understood as huge raw material storage. The recycling of building materials and materials as well as recycling-friendly construction methods will play an increasingly important role in the future.

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.

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.

Urban integration creates a neighborhood
In its immediate surroundings, HIGH Q picks up on the typological and urban development characteristics of its neighborhood. The existing principles of block structures, incisions and polygonal high points are transferred to HIGH Q in order to create a harmonious overall urban image.
On the west side of the construction site, a neighborhood square with outdoor gastronomy will be created at the interface between the office and the hotel, creating a lively meeting place for everyone. This square also serves as an entrance to the hotel lobby.

Striking appearance creates identity
Whether viewed from a passing train, as a pedestrian or from a bicycle, the HIGH Q always looks different and yet is unmistakable. The special façade design with 6 partial façades makes the high-rise appear slender and without a rear side, creating ever new impressions.

Recognition value and an identity-creating design are an important requirement for this building in this exposed location. On the one hand, the façade and the striking shape create a variety of impressions depending on the viewing angle, while on the other hand the building also offers diverse and special situations in its immediate context. The undercut to Celler Strasse with its forecourt forms a clear address, the neighborhood square offers a common center for the neighborhood and the differently designed facades improve orientation and create different places.

The colourful life!

In the middle of the Vierzig549 quarter, the "heart" of the entire area is being created, a lively meeting place with a high quality of stay and programmatic diversity; the pacesetter for "The colourful life". The different building types „high-rise" (wooden hybrid), „courtyard house", and point house are designed as a coherent ensemble. The mix of commercial and residential uses promotes the urban character of the area. In particular, the programming of the ground floors, which ranges from commercial to Live+Work to mezzanine living, contributes to this. However, with the exception of the ground floors, the buildings are used for either residential or commercial purposes to allow clear and easy circulation.

The green "urban grove" with park character and the multifunctional "square" complete the building structure. With their different atmospheres, they create a spatial and qualitative diversity in the quarter. Rainwater management is based on natural circulatory systems. Intensive green roofs (and extensive under the PV systems) delay runoff and encourage evaporation. An improvement in the local microclimate is expected through the systematic use and infiltration of rainwater in the open space. The inner area is car-free.

The design of the building is guided by the image of urban architecture with echoes of the history of the area. The façade grid is robust and reminiscent of industrial building types. It is used as a base layer for all buildings and thus combines the different types of high-rise building, courtyard building, and point building as an ensemble. At the same time, the grid allows flexible filling depending on use and orientation as well as individualization for recognition value. The structural concept consistently relies on recyclable building materials and sustainable construction with wood.

The transformation of Trnavské Mýto into a dynamic cultural and urban hub is entering its next phase. With the building permit secured, Istropolis—designed by CITYFÖRSTER and KCAP in collaboration with Immocap—will break ground in summer 2025.

The project will introduce a state-of-the-art concert and congress hall, modern residences, and high-quality office spaces. The 3,000-person venue will host diverse cultural and business events, featuring in-the-round seating and multi-event flexibility. Offices will include a grand atria and flexible workspaces, while the residences will be nestled within green courtyards and pedestrian-friendly streets.

Istropolis sets new standards in sustainable urban development, integrating passive climate solutions, energy-efficient design, and biodiverse public spaces with 147 trees, 70 local plant species, and dedicated cycling infrastructure. Long overlooked despite its central location, Trnavské Mýto will soon be revitalized with green promenades, fountains, and a lively public square, supporting markets, gatherings, and everyday life.

With construction set to begin, Istropolis moves from vision to reality, shaping the future of Bratislava through architecture, sustainability, and vibrant public life.

The development of Buchholzer Grün creates a residential area in an attractive location. The five-storey and the four-storey apartment buildings in combination with ten three-storey townhouses form the northern opening of the new quatier. The three new buildings develop a powerful, own identity, which incorporate the urban connection to the surrounding city districts and the neighbouring Podbielskistraße. The rhythmization in the height development as well as the verticality through the overlapping windows and balconies in the clinker facade are central design principles. The change of material makes the entrance areas clearly recognizable and at the same time they fit into the overall structure of the facades. The result is a robust, unpretentious and solid figure. The multi-storey housing units impress with an exciting mix of tenements and condominiums in different sizes, while the townhouses offer a small type of building as well as a large one and enable parking inside the house.

The residential crown is a prototype of settlement 2.0. Rooftops of retail and office buildings, as well as parking garages, are activated, attractive locations are opened up, existing infrastructures are used more efficiently and the mixture of programs in the city centre is improved. The existing parking garage is complemented with penthouses as part of the renovation of the façade and entrance area. These residential units distinguish formally from the existing building structure and simultaneously give the building a harmonious completion.

Entrances and circulation of the building have been reorganized so that independent addresses for the car park and the residential building are clearly recognizable. The residential building is accessed (barrier-free) via a representative lobby on the ground floor with exclusive elevators that lead directly to the central, landscaped residential courtyard. The residential units are accessible from this common space. Each apartment (50 to 120m²) has a spacious, private terrace overlooking the rooftops of the city.

The project PELIKAN MIX4 is characterized by a variety of dwelling types according to urban lifestyles. Within an urban master plan four distinctive characteristics are developed:
A landscape tableau is the connecting element, forming an entrée for the private, semi-public and public spaces. Generous lobbies in each house compose a discrete identity and a space of encounters. A great flexibility in the floor plans allows a variety of different apartments in size and type. According to society demands, the types "wellness", "sustainable", "extravagant" and "comfortable" are developed. They differ in constellation of rooms, material, building equipment and the offer of outdoor spaces. So called "Glorietten" crown the buildings and optimize light, spatial peculiarity and views.

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.

The draft envisages an extension of the Lutherschule through a powerful and independent structure, which fits into the existing block structure and self-confidently positions itself to the Engelbosteler Damm.
The five-storey building forms in a modern and contemporary architectural language a clearly perceptible address while radiating openness and transparency. At the same time, the indented ground floor facade with its striking brick arches creates a spacious and covered entrance area.

The central organizational idea is the clustering and self-evident stacking of the different areas of use:
The communal areas are located on the ground floor, the creative areas on the 1st floor, the natural sciences on the 2nd floor and the grade clusters on the two upper floors. As in the floors below, the classrooms are grouped around a central communication zone that creates additional learning venues with niches and open areas.

The Nümbrecht School Centre is to be restructured in several construction phases and thus converted from a classical corridor school with internal, anonymous and unused corridors into a new spatial-pedagogical concept, the Cluster School.
The corridors will be activated and transformed into communication zones, supplemented by group / EVA rooms and team stations, as well as niches and self-study areas, and opened to the communication zone.

In order to maintain a clear location of the gymnasium and the secondary school after the merging of the Hauptschule and Realschule to form the secondary school, the former Hauptschule will be demolished and the school centre supplemented by the new building of the secondary school. The planned new building contains 18 classes, 3 team rooms and 12 special learning rooms, which are grouped together in clusters.
The central interface between the existing building and the new one is the "common centre", which ensures the connection of the new building to the existing school centre.

As part of the Centrum Bremen 2030+ strategy, the city of Bremen has recognized the potential of rooftops for the transformation of the city centre and has taken initial measures to implement them. The action plan for roofscapes in Centrum Bremen offers new perspectives for the innovative use of roofs. Private and public owners of retail and office properties and parking garages were supported in identifying the potential of their roofs.

The planned conversion of roof areas is intended to create new spaces for people and nature and revitalize the city centre. Possible uses include social meeting places, cultural and gastronomic offerings, urban food production, the promotion of biodiversity, the improvement of the microclimate and energy production. Pilot projects were to be implemented after examining the structural, constructional and legal requirements and supported by funding of the federal ZIZ program.

However, the project revealed that implementation was made considerably more difficult by structural, building law and economic challenges. Although many owners were open-minded and the urban planning conditions were favorable, funding conditions and structural conditions often did not match. Nevertheless, the concept provides important insights into the transformation of the real estate portfolio and shows that realistic, long-term approaches are necessary in order to achieve sustainable and future-oriented development.

The documentation of the concept of action you will find here.
The roof catalogue you will find here.

Urban development
The Change Factory combines flexible uses and high-quality open spaces along the river Inde and Indestraße. A four-storey high building with a roof terrace marks the main entrance and lends urban presence. The three staggered building volumes form a work yard to the north and terraces to the south for working and relaxing on the Inde. To the north, the buildings are stepped down towards the cemetery. To the east is a space-efficient mobility hub, which is directly connected to the main entrance via the internal Innovation Mile.

Open space
The Change Factory forms an identity-forming backbone of the public space along the Inde. A spacious forecourt with dancing trees and seating invites people to linger. To the south, open terraces will be created with a view of the Inde. Trees that are compatible with the urban climate and the integration of the local water balance into natural circulation systems ensure sustainability. Green roofs, vegetation and riverbank areas delay runoff and improve the microclimate.

Organization of use
The building is based on a modular construction grid of 8.1m x 8.1m x 4m or 5m on the first floor. All usage units are flexibly adaptable. The Innovation Mile connects the floors via a spacious staircase and promotes interaction. Upper floors offer communication areas, the first floor presentation areas. A café at the main entrance creates an inviting entrance. Space-intensive uses and laboratories are located on the first floor, while offices on the upper floors offer units from 30m² to over 1500m² and can also be divided and combined.

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.