Clara und Robert

On a corner plot of the former Uhlan barracks in the Derendorf district of Dusseldorf stands the building ensemble Clara & Robert, by sop architekten, which links the two new buildings with the historical Saarhaus. The Wilhelmine barracks, erected in 1890 and currently among the largest remaining barracks facilities in the Rhineland, were given new life through comprehensive renovation and expansion. The Clara & Robert office complex builds on the location’s architectural history, while the preservation of the expressive Saarhaus, which is being integrated into one of the new buildings, restores the link to the former barracks. The name and inspiration for the two angular, interlocking, L-shaped buildings, which boast around 16,800 m2 of rentable space, were the composer couple Clara and Robert Schumann, who lived in Dusseldorf in the middle of the 19th century. The vertical slits in the polished natural aluminium building envelope recall old perforated-metal music discs used to record sound for mechanical musical instruments around the beginning of the last century. The material’s matte shine lends the façade a discreet reflective quality, allowing the changing light conditions to project a myriad of different moods onto the building. The largely visible yellow-brick façade of the historical Saarhaus is framed by the protruding shell of one of the new buildings. A monolithic Corten steel box, the colour of which samples the old brick, contrasts while expanding the old building by two storeys, thereby establishing architectural relationship with the new complex. The resulting flat-roof construction offers space for attractive rooftop terraces. The main entrance areas are fronted with an expansive glass façade. All window installations are furnished sun-screening systems. Both 7-storey office buildings possess a flexible floor-plan structure, which guarantees the integration of variously sized rental units. The office space is variably divisible on all floors, and can accommodate all conceivable types of tenants, from individual and group offices to combined-use zones and open spaces. The underground levels, which link the two buildings to one another, are used for technical facilities, storage and a car park with around 300 parking spots. The grounds around the building have been intensively planted and provide space for fully paved access routes and generous driveways. The property’s existing trees that were able to remain were integrated into green islands, emphasising the history of the location. Location Dusseldorf Derendorf Developer die developer Projektentwicklung GmbH Team Jurek M. Slapa, Jürgen Kowald, Daniel Kohlmeyer, Frank Ostrowski, Irene Lening.