Urban yet green—car-free living streets and a neighbourhood woven throughout with parkland. Over the past decade, Sachsenhausen has transformed around the historic Henninger Tower, welcoming some 800 new homes designed by four leading architectural practices. On Building Plot 2, the Kassel firm Baufrösche Architekten und Stadtplaner orchestrated the entire vision: 247 rental apartments in diverse configurations, a vibrant community hub with dining and flexible spaces for gatherings and events, plus two underground car parks. Their first two construction phases also brought nine freestanding apartment buildings and contemporary townhouses to the neighbourhood.

The masterplan emerged from a competitive design process that set the direction for the entire Henninger site. True to that vision, Building Plot 2 anchors a lively neighbourhood square—a central gathering space that radiates activity and draws the community together. Framed by new buildings on two sides and in dialogue with both the Henninger Tower and the Stadtgärten development, this plaza becomes the unmistakable heart of the quarter. The northern buildings—nine elegant structures of six to eight storeys—dialogue seamlessly with the surrounding Wilhelmine-era architecture while opening onto a semi-public courtyard dotted with play spaces for children.

The "Hybrid" rises at the southern edge, encompassing 106 homes. Its lower levels function as an atrium building served by a ringed balcony corridor; above, it steps back progressively while shifting how residents access their homes. Two stairwells threading through the inner courtyard—accessible via the balcony corridors—link every floor and ensure barrier-free entry to every unit.

Residents enjoy heating that draws heavily on renewable resources through geothermal systems and solar collectors. The architects have also integrated substantial cisterns into the landscape, capturing rainwater for garden irrigation and reducing the neighbourhood's environmental footprint.

www.baufroesche.de

Photography Credits:

Norbert Miguletz
www.miguletz.de

(Published in CUBE Frankfurt 03|21)