Located in the far southwest of Essen and directly along the Ruhr River, Kettwig is renowned for its picturesque townscape featuring numerous historic half-timbered structures. While historic buildings elsewhere often fall victim to demolition, a neglected, heritage-protected pair of buildings in Kettwig received a fortunate second chance. The buildings were successfully restored and thoughtfully expanded. For this achievement, the architects at Kirchner Architekten were honored with the German Housing Construction Prize 2020 in the Urban Development category. The task was to transform the deteriorated building ensemble at Kringsgat in the town center into a distinctive neighborhood quarter within its historic context.

The existing buildings were complemented by a new construction, creating an interior courtyard that forms the heart of the ensemble and establishes a vibrant neighborhood character. All construction work was conducted in close collaboration with the heritage authorities. After thorough examination, the apartment building at Kringsgat No. 4 unfortunately could not be preserved and was therefore carefully reconstructed according to heritage standards. The façade of the apartment building was faithfully restored to its historical appearance and clad with slate. The reconstruction was executed in solid masonry with a pitched roof covered in dark engobe tiles and new wooden windows fitted with shutters. During the restoration of the half-timbered house at Kringsgat No. 8, the slate façade was partially renewed. The wooden windows were custom-built in consultation with the heritage protection office and the window shutters partially restored. The building was completely stripped to its core and meticulously restored. The original half-timbered walls inside are partly finished with clay plaster or deliberately left exposed to emphasize the building's historic character. At the head of the courtyard, a new double house at Kringsgat No. 6 was erected. It defines the perimeter of the space and forms a logical counterpoint to the heritage buildings. It allows these structures sufficient breathing room while remaining architecturally compatible. The new house was built in solid masonry and features a façade composed of a thermal insulation composite system with textured plaster and anthracite-colored fiber cement panels. The windows are made of plastic with triple-glazed insulation.

All residential units feature their own balcony or terrace and are appointed with quality finishes including parquet or tile flooring, bright bathrooms, white doors, and numerous other comfortable amenities. An earth-source heat pump system ensures that heating and hot water for the micro-quarter are both environmentally responsible and future-proof.

www.kirchnerarchitekten.de

Photography Credits:

Peter Gwiazda
www.petergwiazda.de

(Featured in CUBE Ruhrgebiet 04|20)