J. Mayer H. designs gridded pavilion for Karlsruhe’s 300-year anniversary

Berlin studio J. Mayer H. has designed a temporary pavilion comprising a wonky grid of criss-crossing timber beams to celebrate the 300th year of German city Karlsruhe (+ slideshow).

J. Mayer H. won a competition to design the Jubilee Pavilion that will be used to host events and exhibitions throughout the summer of 2015, celebrating the 300-year anniversary of the founding of Karlsruhe.

Pavilion for the City Jubilee by J. Mayer H.

The pavilion will be constructed in Schlosspark, the castle gardens that form the heart of the city famed for its radial urban plan, which is made up of 32 circulating streets and avenues.

To reference this, the architects conceived the structure as a three-dimensional lattice where vertical members all angle towards the precise centre of the city.

Pavilion for the City Jubilee by J. Mayer H.

“The twisted pattern of the pavilion refers to the strictly geometric-radial lay out of the Baroque-planned city of Karlsruhe with the castle as the focal point, transforming it into a spatial field of lines,” they said.

“On several layers in and on the structure, exhibition platforms, resting spaces, and viewing platforms will emerge,” they added.

Pavilion for the City Jubilee by J. Mayer H.

An auditorium and stage will be located inside the pavilion, allowing the space to host concerts, theatre performances, talks, film screenings and exhibitions across the summer festival season.

It will also serve as an information point where locals and tourists can find out about the jubilee activities, and will contain a cafe. Construction will begin in March 2015.

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Buero Wagner suspends bottles of foraged ingredients from ceiling of cocktail bar

German firm Buero Wagner has designed a bar for mixology company Gamsei with ceramic bottles of ingredients hanging from a metal grid on the ceiling (+ slideshow).

Buero Wagner suspends bottles of foraged ingredients from ceiling of cocktail bar

Munich-based Gamsei specialises in using foraged and locally sourced ingredients for their cocktail blends.

Buero Wagner suspends bottles of foraged ingredients from ceiling of cocktail bar

The brand wanted to encourage drinkers to watch the barmen mixing their cocktails, so Buero Wagner designed seating as two sets of solid oak steps that rise to meet two opposing walls, while the bar tenders make the drinks at two bars in the middle.

Buero Wagner suspends bottles of foraged ingredients from ceiling of cocktail bar

“Gamsei is a wholly integrated concept that turns the event of drinking a cocktail into a novel experience,” said Buero Wagner.

Buero Wagner suspends bottles of foraged ingredients from ceiling of cocktail bar

“By eliminating the common separation of bartender and guest, here the interaction is key and everybody has a front row seat: from either side guests can enjoy a view onto the two centrally placed bars,” the designers added.

Buero Wagner suspends bottles of foraged ingredients from ceiling of cocktail bar

An oak cupboard and shelving unit covers the whole of the far wall, part of which opens up as a hidden door into the bathroom.

Buero Wagner suspends bottles of foraged ingredients from ceiling of cocktail bar

Oak shutters can be pushed up to reveal the coffee machine and the many shelves are used to store dried leaves, herbs and white ceramic bottles full of Gamsei’s self-made liqueurs, syrups and essences.

Buero Wagner suspends bottles of foraged ingredients from ceiling of cocktail bar

These bottles also hang in neat lines from a black steel mesh covering the celling.

Buero Wagner suspends bottles of foraged ingredients from ceiling of cocktail bar

Just like Gamsei’s drinks, the wood, steel and ceramic used for the bar were all locally sourced.

Buero Wagner suspends bottles of foraged ingredients from ceiling of cocktail bar

Gamsei opened in 2013 and is owned and founded by Australian bartender Matthew Bax.

Buero Wagner suspends bottles of foraged ingredients from ceiling of cocktail bar

The Buero Wagner designers who completed this project were Fabian A. Wagner and Andreas Kreft.

Here’s a project description from the designers:


GAMSEI

Sex on the Beach, Cosmopolitan, White Russian. A cocktail bar is usually rated by the quality of the classic drinks (and their modern adaptations), but those who hope to get a taste of them at Gamsei, may either look elsewhere, or dare find out what a Lavender Drunk Bee is made of.

Buero Wagner suspends bottles of foraged ingredients from ceiling of cocktail bar

Juniper schnapps, verjuice, lavender honey. When owner and head bartender Matthew Bax opened Gamsei 2013 in Munich’s trendy neighbourhood Glockenbach, he introduced hyper-localism to a field of practice which had until then been mainly confined to the food scene.

At Gamsei, ingredients for cocktails like Lavender Drunk Bee, Mid-Life Crisis and Frühlingserwachen, are either wildly foraged by Bax and his team or grown by local artesian farmers, thus reestablishing a connection with local products, region and culture and offering something that is unique in its kind.

Buero Wagner suspends bottles of foraged ingredients from ceiling of cocktail bar

Bax, an Australian artist and founder of three bars among which award winning bar Der Raum in Melbourne envisioned his fourth as an antidote to the globalisation of cocktail bars; why drink the very same cocktail in every bar you go to in the world? Why not experience the excitement of the new when sipping a cocktail?

Buero Wagner suspends bottles of foraged ingredients from ceiling of cocktail bar

The bar interior, designed and executed by Fabian A. Wagner of Buero Wagner (Munich, Germany) with Andreas Kreft, is a clear continuation of this philosophy – looking for surprising configurations whilst paying a tribute to the local Bavarian culture and craftsmanship.

The ambience of a typical Bavarian beer hall has been applied to the 40m² interior through amphitheater-style benches against opposing walls thus eliminating the common separation of bartender and guest, here interaction is key and everybody has a first row seat: from either tribune guests enjoy a view onto the two centrally placed bars and follow how Bax and his team mix, shake and stir up the cocktails. Also the bars have been stripped of all boundaries: workspace and bar are one.

Buero Wagner suspends bottles of foraged ingredients from ceiling of cocktail bar

Dried flowers, herbs and leaves are stored and displayed in a wooden built-in cupboard that stretches the full length of the back wall; Besides ingredients, also the coffee machine and even the doors to the bathrooms and laboratory are seamlessly integrated and can be flexibly displayed or disguised behind lattices. Tribunes, bars and cupboards are executed in solid oak with a natural oil finish.

White ceramic bottles are suspended from a black steel mesh attached to the ceiling, which contain self-made liqueurs, syrups and essences, in-between which light bulbs make for a reduced lighting scheme by night. Just like Bax’s cocktail ingredients, Buero Wagner procured all materials such as wood, ceramics (custom-made by Gefäß & Objekt) and steel locally, and worked in close collaboration with local carpenters and manufacturers to produce custom-made solutions.

Buero Wagner suspends bottles of foraged ingredients from ceiling of cocktail bar

Gamsei is a wholly integrated concept that turns the event of drinking a cocktail into a novel experience. The refreshing take on the cocktail bar extends further: bartenders, dressed in uniform leather aprons, serve their guests an amuse-gueule such as “Biersand”, after taking their coats upon entering, and the tribunes on either side – to be climbed only without shoes – allow for sports broadcasts.

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Plants create “urban jungle” at Berlin hotel by Studio Aisslinger

Foliage is scattered around the interior of this hotel in Berlin by designers Studio Aisslinger to create an “urban jungle” (+ slideshow).

Plants create urban jungle at Berlin hotel by Studio Aisslinger

Studio Aisslinger incorporated plants throughout the interior of the 149-room 25hours Bikini Berlin Hotel, located inside the listed 1950s Bikini-Haus building close to Berlin Zoo. “The [hotel] is as diverse as the big city it is located in and as wild as a jungle,” said the studio.

Plants create urban jungle at Berlin hotel by Studio Aisslinger

Walls of planters partition communal areas and bags filled with vegetation are hung from the ceiling sporadically.

Plants create urban jungle at Berlin hotel by Studio Aisslinger

Plants also climb through windows and doorways of the greenhouse-like restaurant.

Plants create urban jungle at Berlin hotel by Studio Aisslinger

The bar is stocked with bottles displayed in metal backed with wire mesh and drinkers can relax on large steps that double as seating.

Plants create urban jungle at Berlin hotel by Studio Aisslinger

Illuminated room numbers hang above doors along dark corridors with exposed concrete ceilings. Similar lettering marks communal areas such as the lounge.

Plants create urban jungle at Berlin hotel by Studio Aisslinger

Decorative features in the bedrooms include copper headboards and illustrations on the walls.

Plants create urban jungle at Berlin hotel by Studio Aisslinger

The hotel also boasts a sauna overlooking the Tiergarten park and a rooftop terrace with 360-degree views of the city.

Plants create urban jungle at Berlin hotel by Studio Aisslinger

25hours Bikini Berlin Hotel is due to open later this week. Photographs are copyright 25 Hours.

Plants create urban jungle at Berlin hotel by Studio Aisslinger

Here’s some more information from the designers:


25hours Bikini Berlin Hotel – Urban Jungle

25hours Hotel Bikini Berlin celebrates its grand opening on the 20th and 21st of February, 2014 in the heart of Berlin. Together with Restaurant Neni Berlin and Monkey Bar the new hotel on the bor- der between city and jungle is going wild.

Plants create urban jungle at Berlin hotel by Studio Aisslinger

The 25hours Hotel Bikini Berlin is as diverse as the big city it is located in and as wild as a jungle. The hotel showcases cosmopolitan Berlin at its location in the listed Bikini-Haus building between the Tiergarten park and Breitscheidplatz with Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church. The hotel is popular not only among its own guests thanks to the restaurant and bar on the top floor with a 360° rooftop terrace and first-class views of the city and the Tiergarten park.

Plants create urban jungle at Berlin hotel by Studio Aisslinger

Neni restaurant

Neni Berlin is the place to come for indulgence, be it a diverse breakfast, a light lunch or a more extensive evening meal. In keeping with the urban jungle theme, it can be found in a striking green- house built out of parts of old hothouses. The restaurant draws its inspiration from cuisines from all over the world and is a place to meet and sample and enjoy a little of everything.

Plants create urban jungle at Berlin hotel by Studio Aisslinger

Rooftop terrace

The rooftop terrace is the highlight of the whole hotel thanks to the breathtaking view of western Berlin and the tree canopy in the Tiergarten park. It surrounds NENI Berlin on three sides and also Monkey Bar, with its six-metre full-length windows. The view and the location speak for themselves.

Plants create urban jungle at Berlin hotel by Studio Aisslinger

Monkey bar

Monkey Bar is located right next to the restaurant on the tenth floor and is an evening and night-time hotspot for top drinks and sophisticated bar food created by NENI. The NENI Berlin world of herbs has also found its way into the bar and its cocktail creations. With its outdoor enclosure, Monkey Bar is the coolest place in which to watch the sun set and enjoy music events.

Plants create urban jungle at Berlin hotel by Studio Aisslinger

Bikini island

The Wohnzimmer lounge at the 25hours Hotel Bikini Berlin comprises multiple areas. The Working Lab, Bikini Island and DJ corner segue from one to the other and transpose Berlin’s diversity right to the heart of the hotel. People can work, relax and chat here side by side. The aim is to create a space that provides a little time out from work and productive discussions.

Plants create urban jungle at Berlin hotel by Studio Aisslinger

Work hard, stay calm and enjoy tonight

Extraordinary settings result in extra special events. The 25hours Hotel Bikini Berlin boasts unique function rooms with a great deal of atmosphere: the three rooms come alive thanks to the interplay of transparency and being obscured from view. The two Microhouses and the Freiraum function room are the perfect places for workshops and conventional meetings. And together with the NENI Berlin restaurant, Monkey Bar and the rooftop terrace, they constitute an extra special event option. Free Wi-Fi is available to the guests throughout the hotel.

Plants create urban jungle at Berlin hotel by Studio Aisslinger

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Abandoned concrete bunker converted into a green power plant by IBA Hamburg

This concrete Second World War bunker in Hamburg has been converted into a renewable energy plant and visitor centre by urban development company IBA Hamburg (+ slideshow).

Abandoned concrete bunker converted into a green power plant

IBA Hamburg restored and expanded the 42-metre-high ruined concrete shell, which had remained unoccupied since the end of the war. Working with German energy firm Hamburg Energie, the company transformed the bunker into a plant that provides heat and electricity to the surrounding neighbourhood.

Abandoned concrete bunker converted into a green power plant
Photograph by Bernadette Grimmenstein

“After standing empty for more than sixty years, followed by a seven-year project development and construction phase, this war monument has been transformed into a sign of the dawn of a climate-friendly future,” said IBA director Uli Hellweg.

Abandoned concrete bunker converted into a green power plant
Photograph by Martin Kunze

The imposing structure is circled by a balcony towards the top, above which sits four cylindrical forms at each corner that are connected by the cantilevered ledge. A public cafe that spills out onto the balcony through a glass wall and an event space were also added on the upper level.

Abandoned concrete bunker converted into a green power plant
Photograph by Bernadette Grimmenstein

To make the building safe to occupy, concrete was sprayed onto the disintegrating facade to stabilise it and thermal insulation was added to keep the cafe warm. Inside, the bombed floor slabs were removed and replaced plus an elevator and staircases were added.

Abandoned concrete bunker converted into a green power plant
Photograph by Martin Kunze

A two-million-litre water reservoir sits at the centre of the structure, acting as large heat buffer. This is fed by heat from a biomass thermal power plant, a wood burning unit, a solar thermal system on the roof and waste heat from a nearby industrial facility. The heat is redistributed to surrounding buildings in the district.

Abandoned concrete bunker converted into a green power plant
Photograph by Martin Kunze

Rows of photovoltaic panels covering the south facade and a thermal power station feed power into the electricity grid. The cafe contains an interactive monitor that displays current energy production data and visitors can take guided tours around the plant.

Abandoned concrete bunker converted into a green power plant
Photograph by Bernadette Grimmenstein

The bunker has been supplying energy to Hamburg’s Reiherstieg district for a year and the public facilities opened six months ago.

Here’s some more information from IBA Hamburg:


Energy Bunker: World First in Heat and Electricity Supply

From a war memorial to a green power plant: the Energy Bunker in Hamburg-Wilhelmsburg, created by HAMBURG ENERGIE and the International Building Exhibition IBA Hamburg, is the first project of its kind in the world. For exactly a year the Energy Bunker has been supplying heat energy to the residential buildings in the surrounding area. Six months ago it opened to visitors and has become a major attraction. The development of this remarkable joint project is now complete and is being celebrated with an opening ceremony and the unveiling of two plaques.

Abandoned concrete bunker converted into a green power plant
Photograph by Bernadette Grimmenstein

“Today we are here to mark a project that encapsulates the philosophy of the IBA Hamburg more than any other,” said IBA director Uli Hellweg. “After standing empty for more than sixty years, followed by a seven-year project development and construction phase, this war monument has been transformed into a sign of the dawn of a climate-friendly future. Not only does it produce clean energy to supply the district, but also demonstrates how local resources can be used to produce and store heat. With its viewing platform, permanent exhibition, and café, the Energy Bunker also makes an appealing visitor attraction. Almost 100,000 people have visited the Energy Bunker so far.”

Abandoned concrete bunker converted into a green power plant
Photograph by Bernadette Grimmenstein

Dr Michael Beckereit, director of Hamburg Energie, said, “The Energy Bunker has been supplying heat energy since October 2012, and since March 2013 it has also been providing electricity. Its performance and network are gradually being extended. By the final stage of expansion we will be supplying 3,000 households with heat from the Bunker and generating over 2.5 million kilowatt-hours of electricity.”

Abandoned concrete bunker converted into a green power plant
Photograph by Bernadette Grimmenstein

At the heart of the project is a two-million-litre water reservoir that acts as a large heat buffer inside the Energy Bunker, and serves as the centre of a local heating network for the Reiherstieg district. The reservoir is fed by the heat from a biomass thermal power plant and a wood burning unit, as well as a solar thermal system on the roof. This is supplemented by the waste heat from a nearby industrial plant. By bringing these different sources of energy together in an effective way, the Energy Bunker is able to supply the adjacent Global Neighbourhood with heat, and in future will be capable of providing heat to most of the Reiherstieg district. At the same time it feeds into the public grid green electricity from the thermal power station and the photovoltaic unit fitted to the south façade.

Abandoned concrete bunker converted into a green power plant
Diagram of the Energiebunker

History of the Energy Bunker

The 42-metre-high flak bunker on Neuhöfer Strasse was built during World War II. After the end of the war this concrete behemoth could not be blown up without endangering nearby tenements, so the British Army restricted itself to destroying the interior. On the outside, however, the bunker remained more or less intact. From then on, the ruin stood in the middle of the residential area, largely unused and in danger of collapsing. In 2006 the conceptual planning for converting the building into an Energy Bunker began, and 2010 saw the first static tests carried out. Safety, restoration, and conversion tasks on the bunker could only begin in 2011. The total cost of the work amounted to €26.7 million. As a flagship project, it was funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Hamburg Climate Protection Concept.

The clients are the IBA Hamburg (restoration and expansion of the building) and HAMBURG ENERGY (energy supply). As part of a joint opening ceremony Uli Hellweg and Dr Michael Beckereit have now unveiled the IBA plaque and the ERDF sign.

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Interactive model offers a look inside Herzog & de Meuron’s Elbphilharmonie

The not-yet-realised interior of Herzog & de Meuron’s Elbphilharmonie concert hall in Hamburg can now be toured by computer and tablet users via a fly-through model created by digital studio Neutral (+ movie).

Herzog de Meuron's Elbphilharmonie - Convergent 3D Architecture App by Neutral

Herzog & de Meuron originally asked Neutral to produce a simple animation depicting the architecture of their philharmonic hall under construction beside the river Elbe, first planned for 2012 but which now won’t open until 2016 due to stalls in the planning process.

Herzog de Meuron's Elbphilharmonie - Convergent 3D Architecture App by Neutral

Neutral decided to instead create an interactive 3D model that allows users to take in 360-degree views of different rooms, gradually making their way towards the 2150-seat auditorium at the heart of the building.

Herzog de Meuron's Elbphilharmonie - Convergent 3D Architecture App by Neutral

“Users experience the spaces as they build up to the grand hall,” said co-founder Christian Grou. “The novel 3D technique developed by Neutral expands traditional architectural narrative, transposing the user into future spaces, giving architects new possibilities for articulating visions long before they become reality.”

Herzog de Meuron's Elbphilharmonie - Convergent 3D Architecture App by Neutral

Spaces featured include the main atrium, stairwells and a multi-purpose room offering a panoramic view of the river. They can be viewed by visiting the Elbphilharmonie 3D website or by downloading an app for Apple or Android devices.

Herzog de Meuron's Elbphilharmonie - Convergent 3D Architecture App by Neutral

The Elbphilharmonie is being built over an existing brick warehouse built in 1963 by Hamburg architect Werner Kallmorgen. The new upper section is made of glass and was completed last month.

Herzog de Meuron's Elbphilharmonie - Convergent 3D Architecture App by Neutral
Elbphilharmonie photographed as the last facade element was set in place

Once open, the building will offer three concert halls, a hotel, apartments and a public square elevated 37 metres above the adjacent river.

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Verdi and/or Wagner: A vast, inspired book contrasting two of history’s greatest composers

Verdi and/or Wagner


Giuseppe Verdi was born in Italy on 10 October 1813. Richard Wagner was born in Germany just a few months prior that same year. Although their work and approach to creation, substance and audience veered drastically, no one can deny their impact upon…

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Von M modernises three apartments inside a Stuttgart apartment block

German studio Von M has rebuilt the interior of an apartment block in Stuttgart to create a trio of open-plan homes where built-in furniture divides rooms and stark walls are offset with colourful objects (+ slideshow).

Von M modernises three apartments inside a Stuttgart apartment block

Von M retained and restored the Wilhelminian-style brick and sandstone facade of the four-storey building, but removed almost all of the interior walls and re-planned the layout of the apartments inside.

Von M modernises three apartments inside a Stuttgart apartment block

“Before the reconstruction, layer after layer was carefully removed in order to keep the damage to the original parts as little as possible,” said the architects.

Von M modernises three apartments inside a Stuttgart apartment block

“After the deconstruction all building parts to be saved and conserved were documented and recorded. The documentation then became the basis for the complete reconstruction concept of the apartments,” they explained.

Von M modernises three apartments inside a Stuttgart apartment block

A pair of apartments occupying the lower two floors were adapted to make more efficient use of their area, but the two upstairs flats were combined to create a two-storey maisonette with its own internal staircase (pictured).

Von M modernises three apartments inside a Stuttgart apartment block

This staircase offers an informal divider between the dining area and kitchen that comprise the whole of this floor, while the attic storey above contains bedroom and bathroom spaces.

Von M modernises three apartments inside a Stuttgart apartment block

Walls and ceilings were painted in pale shades throughout each apartment, while bathrooms are lined with white mosaic tiles and cupboards are concealed behind floor-to-ceiling mirrors.

Von M modernises three apartments inside a Stuttgart apartment block

Here’s a project description from Von M:


B 175 – Restoration of a Wilhelminian-Style Apartment Building

The building is a typical Wilhelminian style apartment building in Stuttgart-Heslach consisting of three storeys proper and one attic.

Von M modernises three apartments inside a Stuttgart apartment block

The location within the urban renewal area Stuttgart 22 – Heslach made it possible to support the structural alteration measures and remedial actions by means of municipal financial subsidies. After a number of coordination meetings with local authority representatives a reorganisation plan could be outlined and set.

Von M modernises three apartments inside a Stuttgart apartment block

Because the characteristic brick facade was thought to give distinction to the street picture, we did without any insulation of the facade and decided for a cautious restoration of the brickwork and sandstone blocks. The restoration of the facade was complemented by special energetic measures on the exterior shell in order to get the possibly best preserving and ecological results.

Von M modernises three apartments inside a Stuttgart apartment block

Whereas the reconstruction works were restricted to restoration and dismantling measures on the building’s exterior, the interior underwent considerable alterations of the existing substance. Essential in this context again was the conservation and restoration of original building parts providing identity.

Von M modernises three apartments inside a Stuttgart apartment block

Before the reconstruction, layer after layer was carefully removed in order to keep the damage to the original parts as little as possible. After the deconstruction all building parts to be saved and conserved were documented and recorded. The documentation then became the basis for the complete reconstruction concept of the apartments.

Von M modernises three apartments inside a Stuttgart apartment block

The apartments on the 3rd and 4th floor were combined into a maisonette with internal opening. The constriction of the rooms and the existing east-west orientation of the apartment on the 3rd floor were the reason why all bearing walls were removed, favouring an open and ample floor plan giving diverse mutual views of the different areas. Partitions were only conceived as built-in furniture clearly distinct from the existing building parts and materials.

Von M modernises three apartments inside a Stuttgart apartment block

The result is a collage-like interplay of contemporary architectural elements – as distinctive signs for the alterations – in contrast to the conserved and restored elements.

Site plan of Von M modernises three apartments inside a Stuttgart apartment block
Site plan – click for larger image
Second floor plan of Von M modernises three apartments inside a Stuttgart apartment block
Second floor plan – click for larger image
Third floor plan of Von M modernises three apartments inside a Stuttgart apartment block
Third floor plan – click for larger image
Section of Von M modernises three apartments inside a Stuttgart apartment block
Section – click for larger image
Elevation of Von M modernises three apartments inside a Stuttgart apartment block
Elevation – click for larger image

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Snow Free Running

Jo et Léo, deux jeunes allemands de 13 ans vivant à Dresden, pratiquent le free-running. Par une température de moins de 10 degrés, le réalisateur allemand Sebastian Linda a décidé de les filmer. Le free-running s’est transformé en incroyable schnee-running (neige en allemand) sur une musique de Crywolf & Ianborg.

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Frank Gehry designs Berlin’s tallest skyscraper

Frank Gehry designs Berlin's tallest skyscraper

News: architect Frank Gehry has won a competition to design a skyscraper for Berlin that is set to become the city’s tallest building.

Frank Gehry designs Berlin's tallest skyscraper

Gehry Partners saw off competition from eight other shortlisted firms, including Adjaye Associates and David Chipperfield Architects, to land the commission to design the 150-metre residential tower for international real estate firm Hines.

Proposed for a site between Hackescher Markt, Friedrichshain and Berlin-Mitte, the building is conceived as a cluster of distorted cuboids that have been rotated away from one another to relate to some of the city’s main focal points, particularly the nearby Karl-Marx-Allee.

Frank Gehry designs Berlin's tallest skyscraper

Three hundred apartments and a hotel will be located within the building, while the exterior will be clad with stone.

“Gehry’s design is strong in visual expression and introduces an unusually eccentric, new pattern for this location. Nevertheless, the facade radiates agreeable tranquility,” commented Regula Lüscher, director of the city’s urban development department and one of the competition judges.

“The design blends well with the neighbourhood and conveys all aspects of metropolitan living,” she added.

Frank Gehry designs Berlin's tallest skyscraper

This will be the third time that Gehry has collaborated with Hines. The firm was his client for the DZ Bank in Berlin and acted as development manager for his New World Center in Miami Beach.

“The quality of the designs submitted was extremely high and reflected the importance of this prominent location in the centre of Berlin,” commented Christoph Reschke, one of Hines’ managing directors.

“This place has a strong symbolic character and will develop into a metropolitan residential and retail area. In order to transform the square, we want to take a chance on something new and exceptional,” he said.

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s_DenK house by SoHo Architektur has a kinked facade

This house in the Bavarian countryside by local office SoHo Architektur has a kinked facade that provides different views from the living spaces and a pitched roof that references vernacular farm buildings (+ slideshow).

s_DenK house by SoHo Architektur has a kinked facade

SoHo Architektur designed the family home for a sloping site on the edge of the small village of Landsberg and arranged the rooms so the living spaces have the best views, while a basement buried into the hill houses the entrance and a study.

s_DenK house by SoHo Architektur has a kinked facade

“The main idea with this house was to manage the site to make the most of the views,” architect Alexander Nägele told Dezeen. “We organised the levels so from the living room you can see the Bavarian Alps in the south and the Lech river in the north.”

s_DenK house by SoHo Architektur has a kinked facade

The building’s irregular facade features folds in the front and back, with windows looking out at difference aspects of the surrounding countryside.

s_DenK house by SoHo Architektur has a kinked facade

When viewed from the access road at the end of the driveway the house appears to have a simple section with a pitched roof, which is intended to resemble typical local barns.

s_DenK house by SoHo Architektur has a kinked facade

“We didn’t make many design decisions with this facade,” explained Nägele. “There are a lot of farm houses here that have the same facade and we just altered the size.”

s_DenK house by SoHo Architektur has a kinked facade

The exterior is clad in vertical wooden planks that have been painted black to match the colour of the vernacular buildings nearby.

s_DenK house by SoHo Architektur has a kinked facade

By burying the basement floor in the side of the hill, the architects were able to make the most of the building’s footprint while complying with local height regulations.

s_DenK house by SoHo Architektur has a kinked facade

A pathway leads past the garage at basement level to a sheltered courtyard and the house’s main entrance.

s_DenK house by SoHo Architektur has a kinked facade

A short staircase ascends from the courtyard to the garden which surrounds the building and can also be accessed from the ground floor at the rear of the property.

s_DenK house by SoHo Architektur has a kinked facade

Concrete walls at the basement level continue up the stairs that lead to the large open plan kitchen, dining and living space, which features a fireplace built into an angular concrete wall.

s_DenK house by SoHo Architektur has a kinked facade

The first floor contains the bedrooms and features warmer materials, including wooden boards lining the staircase and covering the floors.

s_DenK house by SoHo Architektur has a kinked facade

Photography is by Zooey Braun.

s_DenK house by SoHo Architektur has a kinked facade

The architects sent us this brief project description:


s_DenK

Being located at the hillside in a small Bavarian village the lot opens to the Alps in the South and the valley of the river Lech. By placing garage and house on different height levels it was possible to keep the original composition with a huge garden nearly untouched.

s_DenK house by SoHo Architektur has a kinked facade

The access path bridges the height levels alongside the garage and opens up to a sheltered courtyard with gravel flooring. Entrances to house and office are located on this base level.

s_DenK house by SoHo Architektur has a kinked facade

Some steps form a short cut to the garden. The next level houses the living area with huge South facing windows, featuring the view to the village and further on to the Alps, and an even opening to the garden in the North.

s_DenK house by SoHo Architektur has a kinked facade

Narrow wooden stairs lead to the private rooms under the roof. The typical coloured and textured facade is a harmonious reference to the local context of the building.

Site plan of s_DenK house by SoHo Architektur has a kinked facade
Site plan – click for larger image
Basement plan of s_DenK house by SoHo Architektur has a kinked facade
Basement plan – click for larger image
Ground floor plan of s_DenK house by SoHo Architektur has a kinked facade
Ground floor plan – click for larger image
First floor plan of s_DenK house by SoHo Architektur has a kinked facade
First floor plan – click for larger image
Cross section of s_DenK house by SoHo Architektur has a kinked facade
Cross section – click for larger image
Long section of s_DenK house by SoHo Architektur has a kinked facade
Long section – click for larger image
North elevation of s_DenK house by SoHo Architektur has a kinked facade
North elevation – click for larger image
East elevation of s_DenK house by SoHo Architektur has a kinked facade
East elevation – click for larger image
South elevation of s_DenK house by SoHo Architektur has a kinked facade
South elevation – click for larger image
West elevation of s_DenK house by SoHo Architektur has a kinked facade
West elevation – click for larger image

The post s_DenK house by SoHo Architektur
has a kinked facade
appeared first on Dezeen.