Town hall of the future | kadawittfeldarchitektur

Town hall of the future -
How can a building improve the urban climate?

Typology administration, conference centre, retail, catering facilities, library Location Mönchengladbach Constructed volume GFA 78,000 m² Client City of Möchengladbach Competition 2019

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Visualisation of the Marketplace

Our design for the “Town Hall of the Future mg+” creates an urban ensemble on three sites. It links the different services provided by the town hall with existing and newly developed places forming a new high-quality urban district. The differentiated network of green and blue zones, courtyards, roof areas, old and new buildings, improves the urban climate and, in addition, provides added value for the staff and citizens. The visible connection of all building components via the so-called city balcony with the conference centre facilitates the orientation for citizens and opens up the town hall to the city. Due to the setbacks in the new build and the stepped-back extension of the existing Karstadt department store, the historic tower of the town hall as well as the main Evangelical church are visible from afar. The elements relevant to the public, such as library, retail facilities, Karstadt, the bistro and restaurant Ratskeller, the bank Stadtsparkasse, as well as the new main entrance to the town hall are arranged like a string of beads all facing on to the new main square.

As a green and blue building, the new town hall actively contributes towards cooling the city. The sealed surfaces of the existing buildings are removed by adding different new green and blue components, such as parks, roof gardens, planted roofs, facade greenery, biotope areas and a variety of water elements. In addition to the cooling effect, the higher humidity improves the micro climate and, in combination with the improved air quality, increases the living conditions for citizens, flora and fauna. The plants clean the air by absorbing particulate matter and nitrogen, produce oxygen and use CO2 to grow and mature. The varied selection of plants encourages greater biodiversity in the environment, since these provide a habitat and source of food for birds and insects. Nesting boxes for bats and birds will also be incorporated within the grounds.

Model

A light cloak of vertical timber strips set in front of the glass facades creates a fluid link between the building components.

Visualisation of the Mall

The broad stairway functions as a link between the green passage on the ground floor and the conference zone on the second floor. Citizens can enjoy a spectacular view into the functional space from the service centre.

A green oasis along the main axis in the conference area improves the air quality and invites visitors to sit and linger.

The city balcony come roof garden functions as a green environment with a spectacular view for different activities. It offers additional recreational space, can be used for a variety of events and urban gardening projects.