Phoenix West is a magnet for investors, innovative companies, enthusiasts of industrial culture and, last but not least, photographers who are discovering this exciting hub of innovation for themselves. Where the Hörder blast furnaces once produced thousands of tonnes of pig iron, SHA Scheffler Helbich Architects, based in Dortmund for over 90 years, have planned and realised the Phoenixwerk office complex directly adjacent to the striking blast furnace. Over the next few years, a holistic office complex with three additional buildings, including a multi-storey car park, will be built around a green inner courtyard on the approximately 9,000 m² site. The first two components were completed in 2020. The architectural firm itself has moved into the prestigious building, thus merging its two previous locations in Dortmund. Additional office space is occupied by external tenants, and there is also a restaurant on the ground floor.

The office complex blends naturally into its historic surroundings and offers its users an attractive working environment. The design of the high-quality clinker brick façade is based on the existing Phoenixhalle – now the Warsteiner Music Hall – and the neighbouring Schalthaus 101. The entrance is inviting and barrier-free, offering direct access to the shared courtyard that will be created upon completion. Thanks to the generous window front, the contemporary workspaces are flooded with light. The offices have a generous ceiling height of 3 metres, and the 1.50-metre grid allows for economical and versatile subdivision of the office floors. The highlight is the spacious roof terraces with fantastic views. From the offices of SHA Scheffler Helbich Architects, for example, you have the best view of the industrial monument opposite, the historic blast furnace. Other key features of the Phoenixwerk include its sustainable and resource-efficient construction and flexible design, which allows for the individual wishes of users to be accommodated. State-of-the-art technology and high-quality materials are used in all areas. Furthermore, economic and ecological operation is a particularly high priority. Thanks to energy-optimised construction, the requirements of the Energy Saving Ordinance valid at the time of planning were exceeded and the standard of a KfW Efficiency House 70 was achieved.

www.sha.de

(Featured in CUBE Ruhrgebiet 04|20)