Borken District House

The Borken district hall requires additional space to accommodate administrative offices and a control center for fire and rescue services. SSP has been commissioned with the planning of the extension on the site of the district hall.

The extension to the district hall is connected to the existing building to the south-west by a passageway. The new building forms two offset building blocks that communicate as a link between the park and the existing building. The existing chestnut avenue is complemented by the offset building line of the entrance façade.

The design envisages a purely administrative building, with the district control center and the necessary ancillary rooms such as a crisis room, overflow areas, rest rooms, etc. located on the top floor as a special use.

The building grid allows both small room units, such as the rest rooms and offices, and the large room units, such as the control centre, to be organized economically.

The administration building is realized via the two offset building blocks, which feature a perforated clinker brick façade with the largest possible, inviting window formats. An exciting contrast is achieved through the juxtaposition of maximally open façade surfaces and calm-looking clinker brick surfaces. The stairwells are accentuated by vertical window bands.

The control center is enthroned on top of the administration building and stands out discreetly from the administration wing thanks to a shadow gap, large-format window surfaces and a loosened clinker brick structure. The logical consequence of developing the façade from the function of the building is to create a differentiated formulation of the administration and control center. As a special design element, loggias are arranged on the top floor in the area of the control center at the transom heads. They serve as a break and communication zone in the outdoor area. The technical control center is visually restrained thanks to its sandwich panel design.