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Architects: Tchoban Voss Architekten
- Area: 32000 m²
- Year: 2022
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Photographs:HG Esch
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Manufacturers: HESS TIMBER, Rieder Group, BWE-Bau Fertigteilwerk, Biedenkapp Stahlbau, MicroShade A/S, Temme Obermeijer
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Lead Architect: Sergei Tchoban
Text description provided by the architects. The seven-story office complex EDGE Suedkreuz Berlin was built sustainably using a modular timber hybrid construction method. The larger of the two free-standing buildings covers around 20,000 sqm of floor space, making it the largest wood-hybrid building in Germany. The German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) certified the project as Germany's most sustainable building in 2022.
At the heart of the Carré, the building is a spacious, light-flooded atrium, spanned by a transparent ETFE foil roof resting on a wooden truss construction. The central eye-catchers are the four tree-like structures, graduated in height, whose platforms are connected to each other and to the office floors by filigree staircases and bridges. On the fifth floor, the Sky Lounge with its panoramic facade and outdoor terrace opens up to the atrium. Wood is visibly present in all interior areas of the building.
In the construction of the buildings, the focus was on reducing the CO2 footprint and the weight of the complex as much as possible, and on using sustainable materials that can be recycled according to the cradle-to-cradle principle. The project is registered in the Madaster database and has a material passport that enables the materials used to be reused and recycled. Due to an approx. 50% saving of reinforced concrete compared to conventional in-situ concrete construction, the construction-related CO2 footprint of the ensemble is correspondingly lower. Industrial pre-production (also of the lightweight facades) and the use of wood were essential building blocks. A low construction weight, shorter shell construction times, high planning and cost security, and long durability are further advantages of this construction.
The facades are constructed in an even grid of weather-resistant glass-fiber concrete panels that weigh only 30 kg per sqm. They are approx. 80% recyclable and have a decarbonizing effect due to their special surface structure.
With an extensive deconstruction concept, the issue of circularity was integrated into the planning at a very early stage. The flexibility and reusability of the building are ensured, among other things, by avoiding load-bearing interior walls, a room height of at least 3 m, a well-thought-out arrangement of the staircases, and the zoning of the technical building equipment. The office floor plans are based on a flexible, modular grid.
The four main pillars of the building's energy supply are sufficiency, efficiency, combined heat and power, and load management. In the process, conditions were created to sensitize the users to a conscious, efficient use of energy. The office spaces are air-conditioned by suspended smart ceilings. A sufficient amount of daylight in the offices minimizes the need for artificial lighting.
The office areas as well as the associated ancillary and circulation areas are barrier-free, and all outdoor areas are also designed to be accessible. EDGE Suedkreuz Berlin received the DGNB Platinum certificate with the highest score ever achieved in Germany of 95.4%. In addition, the ensemble was certified with DGNB Diamond for its outstanding design and architectural quality. WELL v2 Platinum certification is also being pursued.
