FLUX - Design for the New Building of the District Association Of Craftsmen, Mönchengladbach (GER)

(Invited competition, 2010)

GFA: approx. 4.800 m2

The design is characterised by its urban surroundings and their influence on the site. A higly fequented urban highway and a train track. are the main noise emitting sources which the building has to cope with. At the same time a quiet green oasis is created inside the inner court of the building complex. A representative north elevation identifies the main entrance of the buildng from the streetscape.

To avoind noise transmission inside of the building especially between the shop part and the administrative part the design concept separates the project into two buildings: a “loud house“ and a “quiet house“.  A generous rain sheltered entrance between the two buildings formalizes the separation.

The “loud house“ protects through its orientation the inner court towards east from noise and pollution. It is covered by a roofscape creating a green oasis on its surface inbetween the two buildings. This roofscape becomes a buildingscape wraping around the mensa sheltering it from east. It further creates an opening gesture to the garden and the sun.

The form of the “quiet house“ – the office building - has resulted from stacking the required functions on top of eachother. Starting from the educational rooms at the groundfloor the functions are placed one above the other with increasing size demand. Working areas and working flows are not interrupted and separated from each other. The result is a higly efficient organised office building.