Headquarter of the Federal Railway Health Insurance

Kassel, Germany

The two-winged complex of the old Kassel main station is being extended by the construction of a new office building and given a new finishing touch. In addition, the building forms a new frame for the listed canopy of the former mail loading station and stands in the view of the traveler directly at the tracks.
 
The new KVB building combines cost-effective construction with an optimized building services concept. The entire technical infrastructure of the building is concentrated in a few areas and can react flexibly to alterations. All workplaces are naturally lit and ventilated. The glass façade has weather-protected air openings through which cooler air flows through the building at night. The air-flowing solid components cool down and their storage effect provides a delay in the temperature rise in the office spaces during the day.
 
The color scheme for the exterior façade and reinforced concrete core are the most important components of the color concept developed by Kassel-based artist Maarten Thiel. In collaboration with the architects, he developed a concept that supports the architectural structure of the building in its effect.