Casual and pragmatic

Berlin-based architecture firm dreigegeneinen was awarded the direct contract to convert vacant office space in a former coffin factory in the heart of Altona into modern co-working space. Spaces for a start-up hub were created on over 1,300 m² of floor space. The space in the existing building from the 1980s in Schomburgstrasse was extensively but carefully adapted to the new use and two storeys were added. The basic idea - also in terms of sustainability - was to preserve the two-storey existing building with all its unique features as far as possible and to further develop its character. For this reason, the new storey follows the structure of the existing building in its structural and design logic. The new façades take up the strict grid of the existing windows.

In terms of its external materiality, however, the structure stands out strongly from the plinth as a clearly raised cubic volume. A carbonized larch cladding (from Mocopinus) contrasts with the light plastered existing façade. In the centuries-old Japanese Yakisugi method, wood is carbonized in a controlled manner. This seals the surface and makes it resistant to external influences, making the dark wood suitable for use as façade cladding. The former eaves cornice forms the visible break between new and old. The staggered storey jumps back on three sides in the grid, creating a spacious terrace. The construction in the interior remains raw and shows its originality in the reinforced concrete construction up to the first new storey as well as the entire timber construction of the staggered storey consisting of wooden supports, beams and ceilings. This is complemented by a specially coordinated color and furnishing concept. Based on the existing turquoise windows, a complete color palette of complementary coral and blue tones was developed. This color scheme formed the basis for the conceptually interconnected design of the individual floors. The office spaces evolve from smaller units on the first floor to shared, open spaces on the top floor, with the aim of mixing uses. The hub has an elevator and offers four co-working areas, fifteen team offices, five meeting rooms, four event and workshop rooms, two kitchens and a roof terrace. The bold colors connect old and new spaces and encourage interaction and creativity. The entrance area is complemented by a barista bar and thus serves as a central meeting and communication point.

www.dreigegeneinen.eu