Karlsruhe Proposal

Adapting the location-specific character of the property, the project generates a vivid impression on the city. It does not only distinguish itself through its grand appearance, but also guarantees a high-quality residential environment.
The available area is being split into three sections: hotel, apartment houses and office building.

In regards to urban development aspects hotel and office building serve as the project's towering framework and hence provide sheltered living conditions to the permanent residents of the apartment buildings. The architectural realization adjusts itself consistently to the natural slope of the property and even extends it towards the street, thus creating space for trade, delivery and parking. The embankment becomes an urban zone, an additional public space. Hotel and office building are envisioned to encapsulate the property. They seal it off from the neighboring railway tracks and therefore act as noise protection to the three centrally located apartment buildings facing the city.

The proposed urban landscape does not only include hotel, office and apartment buildings, but also adds value to the city in general. The development is arranged into public, semi-public and private areas and therefore serves as an enhancement of the public urban space. Two flights of stairs – one in the northeast, the other in the southwest – appear as a grandiose gesture and enable social sustainability.

Large-scale horizontal and vertical green spaces guarantee the ecological sustainability of the development. Existing green spaces are being reinterpreted and included into the new overall concept.

The materiality consistently corresponds to the space allocation plan and its specific requirements. The functional glass fronts of the hotel and the office building serve as a conceptual framework to the development while the copper sheet cladding of the apartment buildings communicate peaceful openness and warmth.

The hotel represents the northeastern ending of the development and confidently faces the station square. Its six residential stories, the conference floor as well as the predominantly open ground floor area including the lobby and a restaurant form the backbone of the draft.

The quality of living at this site is outstandingly high. The vertical green areas of the hotel and the office building provide the residents of the three apartment buildings with a view onto green surroundings and additionally block out any annoying glares and reflections. 

The variable office sizes provide the office building with a remarkable versatility. The spatial arrangement is widely adjustable. The first two floors can be operated as one single unit. Due to the proposed supporting structure and its size the building is easily adaptable as a hotel. 

The business space on the ground floor is situated right next to Victor-Gollancz-Straße and benefits from the highly frequented station square and its therefore ensured diverse usability. The inner structure is adjustable and can be modified according to individual needs.