Suspended Monolith

The roof extension above the ‘Kohlenhalle’ along the river Bille is also a spatial expansion of the Kraftwerk Bille ensemble, intended to be used as an office, academy and co-working space for a magazine.

The elongated structure of the roof extension is composed out of two stacked volumes. Whereas the lower volume is recessed into the existing building similar to a shadow gap, the upper volume seems floating above the existing building. The outer skin of the roof extension consists of large vertical glass panels encased with black-brushed metal grating, creating a minimalist architectural aesthetic. By means of encasing the building volume, an elegant semi-transparent and monolithic appearance will be achieved. The design proposal aims to create aesthetic similarities between both roof extensions, while at the same time establishing a distinctiveness through a selection of façade materials. Both roof extensions share a quiet elegance and minimalistic aesthetic, which does not want compete with, but rather enhances the underlying existing building. The roof extension of the Kohlenhalle will be connected to an external emergency staircase, which also plays an aesthetic role.

Client

MIB Kraftwerk Bille GmbH

Location

Hamburg, Germany

Year

2016

Task

Conceptual development

Programme

Office, Co-working, Academy

Status

Concept phase

Area

7.000m2