A new place in front of the main station

Wintergarten Areal

Location: Leipzig, Germany

Client: Leipziger Wohungsbau Gesellschaft

Program^me: 10.800 m2 Office, Café, Restaurant, Underground Parking

Located just opposite Leipzig’s main train station, the new headquarter building of the municipal housing society is located in a context of transition from the historic center of the city to postwar socialist housing areas. The building occupies the trapezoid shaped site in such a way, that this leads to a new frontage along the square and creates a dramatic moment in dialogue with the historic Wintergarten high-rise building. The otherwise repetitive natural stone façade opens on either side for views onto the city from inside the building.

The core of the building is formed by an atrium around which all offices are grouped. Different uses cantilever into the atrium and create more spatial complexity and a more inviting gesture. To allow for a more communicative work environment, circulation spaces are generous so that meeting places and informal encounters become possible. This is further enhances by shortcuts – open stairs that connect the different floors.

The building uses a large range of energy and water saving technology such as aquifer cooling, heat recovery, solar power generation, demand driven lighting as well as grey water use. To minimize the rainwater runoff, the green roof has a thick layer of soil as storage medium.

Stages:
2012 Concept

Team:
MLA+: Markus Appenzeller, Magdalena Szczypka, Pinar Bozoglan, Milena Zaklanovic
Taraske Consult gmbH