ASP Schweger Assoziierte Gesamtplanung GmbH
Causer: Prof. Peter P. Schweger

The competition was looking for refurbishment and reorganization of the historic Saxon Archive building and the neighbouring office block, and a storage building as an extension. The old building, built 1912 - 15 is enhanced architecturally with a new main entrance and a festive foyer, appropriately to its importance (UNESCO: "one of the 100 most important archives in the world"). The previously open inner courtyard is reinterpreted as the catalogue hall. It is transformed into a roofed light-space, which means that the reduced area of outer façades also improves the building's energy balance. The compact, closed-looking new building adjacent to the office block is out of line with the streets axis and orientated to the building line in Erich-Ponto-Strasse. Its large rooms are arranged around a central core. On the outside it displays a climatically advantageous heavy brick façade in Roman bond with reminiscences of historic warehouses; it is equipped with a highly energy-efficient ventilation and air-conditioning system.

This new building for the Hungarian cultural institute in the immediate vicinity of the Humboldt University, the Singing Academy and the Museum Island responds to the classical surroundings in various ways. It consists of three sections growing out of a common base. In Bauhofstrasse and Dorotheenstrasse the block structure is continued by residential buildings each seven storeys high with guest apartements and flats for employees, and intricate facade articulation.The cultural institute itself with its function rooms is placed conspicuously on the sight-line, already defined by Lenné, of Unter den Linden, and responds to the scale of the neighbouring cultural buildings with large-format apertures and areas of glass. Events in the ballroom can be seen from a distance, inviting visitors to come in.

The new sections complement the figure of the typical Berlin block with front, side and rear wings. Several side and back wings inside the block are being demolished and replaced by an access building that links the three-wing section in Taubenstrasse and Jägerstrasse functionally. The north, stone courtyard is closed by a new section in Glinkastrasse, though an entrance is left open on the ground floor, while the larger, south courtyard remains open from the third floor and is designed as a garden courtyard. So despite block perimeter development the quarter is open within the urban space, and it will be possible to see into the block from the street. The new buildings are clad throughout in light sandstone, but their window patterns differ. An inviting visitor centre on the ground floor of the new building with public cafeteria and free access to the library and to the conference and training rooms signals the ministry's openness and close relationship with the people.

ASP Schweger Assoziierte Gesamtplanung GmbH
Causer: Prof. Peter P. Schweger

This building in the east of the city centre enters into a dialogue with the skyscraper family of the other banks in the west end with a dominant, but quite different, voice. Three 133 metre high towers are linked to a restaurant level at the very top by the "sky bridge". Seven narrow pedestrian bridges extend between the towers at different heights, creating additional connections and possibilities for internal communication. This entirely new skyscraper type expresses the special significance of the Central Bank for Frankfurt as a financial centre and for Europe, and equally, solidity and openness. The former central market hall, a key work of classical Modernism built by Martin Elsaesser in 1928, is integrated into the project. It becomes a lavish main foyer, a meeting place and events venue, offering many additional functions open to employees and visitors in its built-in hall, conference rooms, social and sports facilities, shops and cafés. A bridge leads over to the base structure of the skyscraper, with communal in-house functions like library, central services and conference rooms. The offices on 36 floors of the three dramatically upward-thrusting towers offer all the possibilities of different office organization forms. Fully glazed façades with advanced energy management make the building look up-to-date and modern, providing a bridge to classical Modernism while avoiding modish, short-lived poses. Maximum transparency inside the spaces gives employees in their world of work the privilege of a wonderful view over the city around them, of the sky and the weather, offering multiple aspects and, when lit internally in the evening, unrestricted views into the building from its urban surroundings. The site is additionally linked with the city via a park created with trees and elements of central Frankfurt. A stretch of water on the Main side reflects the building and connects it with the river. The bank is visible and effective far and wide, taking over the leading position in the city as a matter of course and becoming its new landmark.

Architekten Schweger + Partner
Causer: Prof. Peter P. Schweger

in hamburgplan, with Kees Christiaanse of Astoc

Final design of masterplan and detailing of the first plan sections: 2000

 Hamburg’s ‘Harbour City’ is just as strongly committed to hanseatic traditions as to global progressiveness. Its shape and dimensions are essentially defined by the cut and functional logic of the harbour basin. Routing and infrastructure, flood protection works and bridges follow the existing structures. The new urban quarters are put in relation to each other by means of open areas clearly defined by spatial edges. The main potential of the HafenCity lies in its connections between inner city, harbour and the Elbe, including sight lines and paths through urban areas with a maritime flair. According to the present forecast, the completion of the entire urban development will take a long time. In the end, it will have created a ‘family’ of urban blocks, each with its distinct character, yet related to all the others. This family character, laid down by the masterplan, makes it possible to develop an integrated architectural concept for each section.