2nd prize in a non-open realization competition with 5 participants. Following the merger of the former Paul-Gerhardt Church with Emmaus Church, a community centre and children’s day centre is to be built on the site of Emmaus Church. A major focus of the design is the preservation of the park-like grounds on which the church is located. The new buildings are designed to fit into the park-like area, allowing for the maintenance of the protected tree population, while at the same time taking into account the neighbouring listed buildings. The community centre is arranged as a linear, single-storey building block parallel to the church nave and, with its high ceilings, combines a variety of usages on one level. The shadow gap above the lawn surface positions the community centre on an equal level with the church, allowing for a seamless transition between the two buildings. Visually, the building appears to ‘float’ above the site. The varied slanted roofs of the church are reinterpreted, creating an impression of space in the interior of the sculptured building form. The uniform cladding of roof and facade made of canted, anodized aluminum profiles, with its impression of depth and different-sized gaps, produces a finely structured outer shell on both buildings. The metallic anodized surfaces, with their shimmering, warm copper tones, reflect the red bricks of the church, thus creating a contemporary design that responds to the existing environment.
Competition: 2nd prize
Date: 2015
Use: Community centre
Initiator: Ev.-luth. Reiherstieg-Kirchengemeinde
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