Strategically positioned on a former inner-city commercial site with excellent public transit access, the development features a diverse housing mix—from compact studio apartments to spacious four-room residences. Located in Frankfurt's Gallus district, near the central station and the heritage-protected Adlerwerke industrial complex, the Darmstadt-based firm planquadrat has designed a striking residential ensemble. Across the narrow, elongated plot, three interconnected buildings follow a meandering form, establishing a dynamic dialogue between street-facing façades and thoughtfully articulated courtyards with legible entrances. The structures echo the industrial heritage of the Adlerwerke through their proportions and distinctive small-format clinker brick detailing.

Because the buildings align with the adjacent railway corridor, the architects implemented a carefully considered acoustic strategy. Most units feature through-floor layouts that orient living spaces toward Weilburger Street, away from rail noise, while circulation areas face the tracks. At the building ends, however, some bedrooms necessarily face the tracks. Here, the architects integrated passive sound protection—ventilation flaps with acoustic baffles—into the façade. Controlled mechanical ventilation further safeguards the interiors, ensuring constant fresh air without noise intrusion through open windows. The roofs deliver an exceptional amenity: beyond private balconies, residents enjoy a communal rooftop garden flowing across two levels in a continuous green ribbon. It combines generous seating areas with panoramic views of the Frankfurt skyline. Staircases link the rooftop garden to accessible ground-level gardens below.

The complex unfolds across three distinct phases: Phase 1 houses subsidized, family and senior-friendly units alongside a daycare facility; Phase 2 offers exclusively conventional apartments ranging from two to four rooms; Phase 3 comprises primarily furnished studios with kitchenette and floor-to-ceiling glass doors opening to compact balconies. Each floor in Phase 3 includes laundry facilities for resident use. The communal spaces and rooftop garden imbue this section with a vibrant, inclusive character that welcomes diverse residents without catering to any single demographic.

www.planquadrat.com

Photography Credits:

Martin Geyer
www.martingeier.com
Kirsten Bucher
www.kirstenbucher.de

(Published in CUBE Frankfurt 04|22)