Karstadt, Darmstadt

In the heart of Darmstadt a Karstadt building was constructed in the 1970s in the Brutalist architectural style, utilizing a reinforced concrete skeleton structure. Over the past 50 years, the structure of this building has provided a versatile framework for various design possibilities. With a primary grid span of 12.00 m x 9.60 m, the structure offers significant flexibility. The idea is to repurpose the former department store into a mixed-use building, combining hotel and office spaces, while retaining the original structure. Tthe large span of the existing structure allows for both functions to be effectively integrated. The perimeter of the original building will be preserved. To bring light into the interior and to the new functions, several grid fields in the centre of the building will be dismantled. This modification will divide the site into a southern and a northern section. The cutouts in the southern part will extend down to the ground floor, creating a courtyard that will be accessible to the public. In contrast, the cutouts in the northern section will start from the first floor upwards, leaving a cover over the ground floor and creating a semi-public courtyard intended for use by the offices.

Visualisierungen: Störmer Murphy and Partners