Mixed-use complex Obernburg
Back to Projects list- Location
- Obernburg, Germany
- Year
- 2002
This mixed-use development is perfectly adjusted to its site. The building’s restrained modernist syntax confidently articulates the local vernacular, resulting in a refreshing dialogue with its historical context. This is best exemplified in the dynamic between the rectangular entrance block and the nearby clock tower situated within the old city wall.
An emphasis on space, site and light extend throughout the scheme, informing the tectonics of the overall structure. The building rests on three U-shaped columns, serving simultaneously as an architectural statement and a pragmatic solution; they disseminate the weight of the development, and at the same time house the necessary technical services, all of which are easily accessible. This structural configuration allows for extensive uninterrupted floor plans, offering flexibility in the internal arrangement of the spaces.
The clarity of this solution is paralleled in how the main circulation serves both as an entrance hall for the offices on the first floor, and a lobby area for the apartments on the upper floor. The industrial aesthetic of the perforated steel mesh balustrade and handrail animate the stairwell, disseminating the depth of the volumetric design, from the basement to the second floor apartments. A bridge, configured as a monolithic block, connects the first floor offices. This acts as a visual pin holding the two halves of the building together. The scheme’s minimal palette - concrete, steel, glass and lacquered plaster – reflects the project’s geometric rigour.