Friedrichsplatz

Kassel, Germany

As a new link between the former old town and the new city sprawl, the office building is a conclusion of the edge development of Friedrichsplatz to Obere Karlstraße. The urban integration defines the figure of the building: street frontage to Karlsstraße, block edge closure at Friedrichsplatz, square edge to Karlsplatz.

To complete the block structure, the new building takes up the structure of the neighboring buildings in base, body and roof. It consists of three interpenetrating elements, which can be read in the street space in terms of material and design.

A glass cube forms the core of the building. A body with a natural stone structure is inserted into this in the direction of Friedrichsplatz and a body made of metal in the direction of the upper Karlsstrasse. The resulting projections and recesses give the building its structure.

The atrium connects the individual elements.

The inserted staircase and the elevator tower are accessed via the main entrance from Friedrichsplatz. 

The delicacy of the neighboring buildings is reflected in the facade of vertical dolomite pilasters and glass front behind them. The pilaster strips face the square with their narrow side and allow a free view out of the building, while the rows form a homogeneous surface when viewed from the outside.