In the Ruhr region, land for new development is scarce. Time and again, architects are therefore faced with the task of harmoniously integrating contemporary new buildings into their existing surroundings, which have grown over decades. Tolckmitt + Brinker Architekten solved this challenge on behalf of Gebag Duisburger Baugesellschaft with an apartment building in Homberg in an unspectacular and at the same time confident manner. The new structure with 14 apartments is located between historic colliery buildings and 1950s row buildings, where it acts as a connecting element between the two contrasting typologies.

This was preceded by the demolition of two colliery buildings on the building site with a considerable renovation backlog. At 1,000 m², the newly constructed, barrier-free apartment building offers significantly more living space and space for 14 publicly subsidized two- to four-room apartments with living areas of between 49 and 101 m². The transition area to the colliery housing estate is characterized by a two-storey building with a gabled roof made of slate grey flat tiles and modern box guttering without a roof overhang. In the direction of the 1950s row development, the building grows upwards by a further two full storeys with a flat roof. The new building is brought together by a plinth of basalt-grey clinker brick slips - a reminiscence of the colliery buildings, but with a deliberately modern interpretation in terms of format and color. In contrast, the façade shines in a friendly pebble tone. The building is accessed from Hubertusstrasse and Jägerstrasse, with barrier-free access with a ramp at the rear. The first floor apartments have tenant gardens, while all others have spacious balconies. A communal neighborhood playground and a bicycle garage with charging facilities for e-bikes are available to all tenants. It was important to the Essen architects to create contemporary, bright and open floor plans that offer a high quality of living. The aim was always to implement the specifications and requirements of subsidized housing construction. The rooms are fitted with vinyl design flooring, the barrier-free bathrooms have natural light and are fitted with large-format tiles.

www.architekten-tb.de

Photos:

TB Architects/U. Karamanlar
GEBAG / Daniel Koke Photography

(Published in CUBE Ruhr Area 04|22)