Office- and commercial building Alex

The publishing quarter in Darmstadt was built in the post-war period for the "smokeless" industry. It was also here that the printing company "Prinovis“ was located, whose building was demolished after the business was given up. A new quarter for office and residential use is being constructed on this site between Haardtring and Berliner Allee, called "Berliner Carrée“. The required parking spaces will be made available centrally by means of a joint underground car park. planquadrat developed an urban concept for the new quarter as a basis for the necessary sites plans. It provides for a green quarter with several solitary structures in an open building structure. The building structure sensitively fits in to the surrounding building development and reacts appropriately to the proportionality, density and number of storeys of the surrounding building development. An urban highlight at the beginning of the Berliner Carrée is the so-called "Alex“. The five-storey structure with stepped design forms a distinctive contrast to the "Wella building“ at the southern end of the building row. The structure is characterised by a homogenous punctuated facade made of natural stone with clearly colour coded spacious window openings. In this way ribbon windows are partially joined together over two storeys, thus lending the building a clear vertical structure that is brought to life through different window widths. Two facade projections and recesses react to the special urban situation and simultaneously capture the main entrance with the offices. The first construction phase is to have been completed by the end of 2017. In the second construction phase "Marlene“ three five-storey terraced buildings with a stepped design level for residential use will be built that will be protected from commercial noise from the neighbouring development to the south by means of a noise barrier. Here 116 barrier-free apartments are to be built.   
In the third construction phase the quarter in the west will have a long, six-storey angle structure, "John". Besides 55 residential units, partially socially subsidised, retail space will be created on the ground floor.  
The facades of the second and third construction phase are likewise characterised by homogenous punctuated facades with vertical and freely positioned ribbon window, thus fitting in harmoniously with the overall appearance.

Project Management: Claudia Becker, Jörn Tillmanns
Project Lead: Matthias Wöber, Franciska Bösz
Team: Anne Giesler, Alexandra Novotny, Daniela Grau, Kathrin Bösl, Kira Kausche