Objective
The Metallwerkhof
is designed on a site that lies on the embankment of the River Spree, the 'Rummelsburger
Bucht' in Berlin.
The future
users, which have successful inter-regional business relations, have the
desire to combine their cultural as well as their social interests with
their business aims. Their new building will give them a new corporate
identity that will serve them in their guiding impulses. The firm, which
is mainly active in the field of metal processing, often takes on difficult
tasks which constitute a challenge for the planning, construction and production
team. Moreover, the metal processing plant receives orders from the design
and furniture industry. Besides the area of production, construction, and
management, the design incorporates studios for young domestic
and foreign art-scholars and an exhibition area. The location at the embankment
offers the factory convenient traffic facilities and maritime connections
that can be expanded in further expansions of the firm.
An exhibition space allows the metal
company to present their manifold designs and innovative techniques to the
general public.
Concept and Context
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In its manifestation, the
building appears as a constructed object of abstract composition by
referring to the already existing industrial row buildings. Without
rivaling with its architectural neighbors, it brings to the place the
impressive statement of a distinct volumetric presence drawing into focus
a particular and unique void in the industrial texture. The building refers
to the exposed site near the embankment, the existing public warehouse,
and an urban axis, which connects the 'Treptower Park' with the S-Bahn
station Rummelsburger Bay. The urban axis is also used as public footpath.
Function and Activities
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The main design objective was to combine
all functions under one roof and to promote
co-operation between the different fields.
The heart of the
building is the production hall that leads to the exhibition hall. Because
of the dependence of the metal industry from new technologies and from
foreign trade, a flexible hall with a crane bridge was incorporated in
the design. Multi-story automatic production lines as well as the production
of large prefabricated compounds are possible. Through the principle of
multiple joined units, a subdivision in several production steps from heavy
to light production, from the casting to the end-product is possible. This
principle also allows for the parcelling and subletting of small
spaces.
This flexibility
is economically as well as ecologically efficient. Numerous subfunctions,
which include management, construction, planning, supervisor rooms, workshops,
artist studios, disposal sites, etc. are integrated in the hall and structure
it as autonomous volumes.
The spaces between
the volumes are functionally undefined and can be used as required. They
not only function as a bridge between inside and outside but also as a
bridge and a buffer between the production hall and the communication and
recreational places. Through the structure of the ground plan an interlocking
of the functions comes into being.
In the cross-sectional
view the functional arrangement in layers becomes clear: accessibility
and development outside the building, planning and construction offices, development
inside (gallery), production hall, studios/ workshops and finally the working
space outside.
The firm will take
advantage of the 'exposed' site on the river embankment, and its vicinity,
the already mentioned public warehouse and the pedestrian footpath. The
pedestrian footpath, which comes from Treptower Park and leads to the other
side of the bay to the 'S-Bahn Station Rummelsburger Bucht', will be redesigned
to attain a maximum level of public attention.
The linear plan
of the production hall finds its central point in the exhibition hall that
faces the river embankment. This representative part of the firm offers
a flexible site for events for both visitors as well as for the employees.
Structure
and Material
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The three materials
that are used in an efficient, economical as well as ecological manners
are steel, concrete, and wood.
The supporting structure
is made out of steel. The integrated shielding volumes are made out of
reinforced concrete, which provide sound as well as thermal insulation
and storage mass. The building outer structure is made out of wooden louvered
slats and glass which functions both as a multifunctional as well as a
changeable building envelope: admitting light and shadow while keeping
out wind and adverse weather conditions and yielding energy savings (heat
and power) which is made possible through the use of integrated photovoltaic
cells.
Such an atypical
wooden facade for a metal factory stands in contrast to the steel products
and machines that are inside. This wooden facade is deliberately chosen
to lay an emphasis on the displayed objects and to eradicate a warm and
comfortable atmosphere for all employees and visitors.
This functional
classification of the materials strengthens the readability of the elements.
The construction and details are neither rough nor smooth, but suitably
to the disposition and rather simple and straightforward. Simple (standardized)
steel selections are joined with steel angles and boards.
Climate
and Energy
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The energy concept is characterized
by passive and active factors.
Winter (for outer temperatures
of less than 18 degrees):
The lamellaes are
open or respectively moved to the side to let the sun unhindered
through the glass, which in turn creates a 'greenhouse-effect'. The air
is warmed up and the concrete mass stores the heat ('postponement'). Additionally,
the excess heat of the machines is used to warm up the cold fresh air ('rotational
heat exchanger'). Consequently, there is no heating system required.
Summer (for outer temperatures
of 18¡ or more):
The efficient lamellaes
shelter the building from the overheating that can be caused by light hitting
from the south and only allows in the light that comes from the north (diffused
zenith light). The concrete elements now function as cold-storage mass.
The rainwater that is collected in cisterns can be used for cooling the
building. The exhibition area that is situated on the river embankment
is naturally cooled by the evaporating water from the River Spree and respectively
by the spraying water from the sculptures.
The active system
is composed of photovoltaic elements that are integrated in the louvers
on the south-south-east facade and on the roof.
Architecture
Competition
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This design
won the first prize in an idea competition organized by 'SCHÜCO international
KG' under the auspices of the "Ministry for Environmental Protection and
Nuclear Safety".
The Jury: "The
clear minimalist contour of the metal workshop convinces through its elemental
calmness in the landscape of the 'Rummelsburger' Bay. The principle of
serial joints leads to a fine structural openness of the factory hall and
the working sectors. The strict materialization is pleasant. The project
represents a very good contribution of the penetration of architectural
design combined with a complex technical (energy) concept.
The integration
of photovoltaic - elements as lamella on the southeast facade and on the
roof is a very good varied applicable concept. Some specific advantages
come about through the incorporation of the photovoltaic cells on the facade
as a multifunctional building envelope that offer among other things: shadowing,
weather protection and energy savings with photovoltaic-cooling by means
of back ventilation. The energy savings can be used for example in lighting,
ventilation, and other internal uses. Only the bottom part of the adjustable
elements are equipped with solar cells in order to avoid shadowing that
can be caused by the tilting of the lamellas. A single-axis automatic operation
of the PV-cells comes about through the adjustment of the lamella, which
is matched to the position of the sun (year-round). Energy savings and
a yearlong energy balance are the added positive effects that are reached."
Film/Advertisement
Competition
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"Fake: Order today -- Get it tomorrow." The Metallwerkhof
design was used in an advertisment for
the topdeq
corporation.
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