Competition BIZ Weissenhof | Final Round
Luftbild
Architecture
The form of the visitor and information center at Weissenhof was developed from the spatial program and the underlying idea of a publicly accessible rooftop garden with a café.
Two offset wedges pushed into one another create access points to the roof, one facing the address on “Am Kochenhof” and the other facing the square toward the Academy of Art. The slightly recessed façade at the entrance guides visitors toward the exterior staircase and opens the building toward the Weissenhof Estate.
Two large “shop windows” facing the street and the square, together with the form of the building, create a direct visual connection along the internal north–south axis. While the north and south sides of the BIZ are designed to be inviting and open, the façades facing the estate and the Brenzkirche are more restrained.
Modellfoto
Visualisierung
Site / Urban Design / Access
The visitor and information center occupies the entire building site in all dimensions. Toward the street, it marks the entrance to the Weissenhof Estate, while toward the Academy of Art, it defines the square.
The slightly recessed south façade at ground-floor level opens the building toward the Weissenhof Estate and emphasizes the entrance. The building can also be accessed from both the street and the square via gently rising, diagonally arranged exterior stairs. These invite visitors to experience the building even when they are not using the café or visiting an exhibition, making the BIZ a natural and valuable part of the campus.
The opposing changes in height within the compact building volume create a transition in scale between the large academy buildings and the smaller structures of the Weissenhof Estate.
The viewing platform above the café places visitors along the visual axis between the Brenzkirche and the Weissenhof Estate. From there, they can experience the world-famous buildings from a new perspective and recognize them as a cohesive whole.
Visitors primarily enter the building through the main entrance. Staff members also have a separate entrance from the direction of “Am Weißenhof,” leading directly to the office areas. The internal circulation is fully accessible, including the route to the café on the upper floor.
Dachnutzung
Öffentliche Durchwegung
Materials
The choice of materials is based on the idea of creating a building designed according to Cradle to Cradle principles and in connection with its generous rooftop use. All materials are sustainable, either because they are of natural origin or because they are made from recycled plastics.
In accordance with Cradle to Cradle principles, only materials that can be separated by type at the end of the building’s life cycle are used. This allows them to be returned to the material cycle.
For this reason, the building will be constructed on a foundation slab made of concrete blocks, using recycled concrete wherever possible. A timber structure will be built on top of this base. The building core and load-bearing walls will be constructed from “TRIQBRIQ.” This micro-modular, circular timber construction system is assembled on site without adhesive and secured using beech-wood dowels. The dowels can be easily removed, allowing the blocks to be rearranged or dismantled at any time.
The manufacturer, based in Tübingen, produces the system in a carbon-neutral manner and sources its timber as locally as possible. In this way, the timber not only stores carbon; emissions from manufacturing and transportation are also reduced to a minimum. The floor slabs will be made of solid glued laminated timber.
The building is intended to be experienced as a timber structure, both inside and outside. Wherever possible, the timber blocks will therefore remain largely exposed rather than being covered. Where plaster is required, clay plaster will be used. Most of the building will be insulated with mineral wool. Because of the higher loads on the roof, foam-glass insulation will be used there.
