BRIEF New construction of a high-rise building ensemble with a high impact from a distance in Düsseldorf Mörsenbroich | ADDED VALUE The new building not only generates a vibrant place with mixed use, but also a publicly accessible green courtyard.
Typology living, office Construction Volume GFA 104.000m² Client CENTRUM Holding Architect kadawittfeldarchitektur Competition 1st prize 2022
BRIEF New construction of a high-rise building ensemble with a high impact from a distance in Düsseldorf Mörsenbroich | ADDED VALUE The new building not only generates a vibrant place with mixed use, but also a publicly accessible green courtyard.
MÜNSTERSTRASSE, DÜSSELDORF | GERMANY A high-rise complex is to be built on Münsterstraße in Düsseldorf Mörsenbroich, directly on the freeway feeder road to the city center. A cluster of high-rise buildings is already planned in the immediate vicinity of the existing ARAG Tower (125m).
The new building on Münsterstraße is intended to complement the district and, as the northern “tip” of the area, to form a city gate in a prominent location. To the south of the property, there are already five-storey buildings, to which the base of the new building is directly connected.
The design envisages a 5-storey mental building with two slender high-rise slabs rising to heights of 149 and 68 meters respectively. Inside the new block, a spacious, generously landscaped interior develops, protected from noise and with an open-air public space at one point.
Clustering of high points
The new building forms the “tip” of the area
Inside the new block, a spacious, generously planted interior is being created that is protected from noise and open to the public. Via cascading terraces, the green courtyard develops along the northern perimeter building upwards onto green, usable roof areas that face south. This well-thought-out open space concept corresponds directly with the architecture and guides users along the facades from the representative forecourt in the north to the courtyard, the green heart of the property.
Two slender high-rise slabs
View in all directions
Numerous new plantings complement the character of the property.
The five-storey shell construction forms a noise barrier and protects the green inner courtyard.
The base area around the inner courtyard is home to public and communal facilities.
The lowered rainwater garden presents itself as a calm, green oasis that invites you to stroll and linger.
The high proportion of greenery significantly increases the evaporation of rainwater and effectively binds dust, which contributes to a positive microclimate.
The newly planted trees provide additional shade and reduce the formation of heat islands. The roofs will be greened as intensively as possible and designed as ‘retention roofs’ with a substrate that can store water.
When selecting plants, particular attention is paid to high ecological value, climate suitability, and species and insect protection.
Concept and function
The so-called “block perimeter base” around the new courtyard is grouped around special public uses, some of which are two-storey, from southeast to southwest. The staggered inner side of the perimeter block is in the sun and protects the courtyard from downslope winds that occur in high-rise buildings. The courtyard is accessible to the public via terraces on the courtyard-side cascades and public staircases from the inner courtyard up to the third floor. The upper four floors of the shell building house office space with independent entrances and lobbies on the western courtyard. Conference rooms and business clubs for the office floors of both high-rise slabs are located on two floors in the northern area of the base.
Efficiency of the utilization units
High-rise floors have two fire compartments
Creating open space qualities
The end faces of the high-rise complex are particularly striking due to their distinctive special facades. The sloping floor slabs alternate on each floor, creating balconies, loggias or winter gardens in the “joints”, some of which have multi-storey air spaces that provide a special quality for special office zones.
“Green Joint” scheme
The flexible design of the loggia-based vegetation systems allows greening to take place on different levels of the facade.
The motif of hanging gardens, enclosed between “glass panes”, continues over the base into the surrounding buildings and the inner courtyard. The multi-storey winter gardens have a steel/glass post-and-beam construction, while the soffits of the storey ceilings are covered with wooden or aluminum slats in contrasting colors. The cascading terraces lead the greenery of the inner courtyard up through the storeys, creating south-facing open spaces with different qualities.
Balconies, loggias or winter gardens are created by using floor slabs that are set at different angles on each floor in the “joints”.
Balconies, loggias or winter gardens are created by using floor slabs that are set at different angles on each floor in the “joints”.
In the south of the property – at the corner of Grashofstraße and Münstertraße – there is currently a perimeter block development with existing buildings of five storeys plus gabled roofs. The new perimeter block development is significantly recessed in key places in the west, south and at the northeastern feeder road in favor of the existing trees located there.
The cascading terraces lead the green of the courtyard up through the floors.
The structuring of the vertical scale of the shed facade simultaneously strengthens the elegance of the ensemble and creates a holistic facade concept.
The wind simulation shows that the open spaces and terraces function as wind-calmed areas.
Planting perennials and grasses in linear planting systems along the loggias and facade allows for a wide variety of species with little substrate build-up.
The vertical scale facade, with its south-facing PV modules, makes a significant contribution to energy generation.
The energy-optimized construction with an energy-efficient building envelope enables a far-reaching reduction in electricity, heating and cooling requirements.
The energy-optimized construction with an energy-efficient building envelope enables a far-reaching reduction in electricity, heating and cooling requirements.