New office building and refurbishment of listed buildings in Hamburg.
The site is slightly hidden in a backyard at Neuer Pferdemarkt in the Sternschanze District and thus in the rede-velopment area of St. Pauli-Nord. Towards the west, it is terminated by a perimeter development and towards the east, by split-level houses, which are all occupied by residential uses. Industrial facilities directly adjoin in the north and south.
The task comprises the refurbishment of the existing buildings dating from 1904 under due consideration of the demanding conflicting requirements of monument preservation aspects and of a contemporary use as offices respectively studios.
The new build adjoins the firewall of a distinctive historic brick building used commercially, whilst its orientation takes reference from the district’s town planning: the result is a large, green courtyard on top of the underground car park. The elongated building with a five-storey central section, which is naturally lit from one side, accom-modates eight office units, which can be linked with one another. The brick façade with its delicate relief blends in with the neighbouring old building.
The historic buildings dating from the turn of the 19th century, which were, in analogy to the then use of the Pferdemarkt (horse market) used as horse pharmacy, horse clinic and stables, are located in the courtyard. Most of the buildings had been vacant for several years and were, just as the garages and sheds in a very ruinous con-dition. A large old lime tree especially worthy of protection is the visual centre of the courtyard.
The refurbishment requires measures for both the preservation of historic elements (cleaning and repair of the old brickwork, renovation of windows, refurbishment of steel beams and roof trusses etc.) and for the preparation of the building to suit a modern use (heat and sound insulation, wood and steel windows with minimum insulation glazing, etc.). New components such as galleries, columns, staircases, and windows were added in accordance with the existing structure.