The competition entry, developed in collaboration with asp architects, honors the architectural heritage of GDR housing and demonstrates how serially produced buildings can be thoughtfully adapted for the future. At the core of the project is a respectful approach to the existing fabric and the consistent application of circular construction principles. The building is treated as a material repository: components are carefully deconstructed, inspected, and repurposed for new functions. In this way, something new emerges from the familiar, preserving the building’s history while meeting contemporary demands for sustainability and community.
Partial demolition creates a central building gap that serves as the heart of the project. Across multiple levels, open communal spaces with rooftop gardens foster interaction and exchange. The lower floors house the public neighborhood hub and AWO community rooms, while the upper levels provide intergenerational living, balancing privacy and shared spaces.
New freestanding steel structures complement the existing building on both sides. They incorporate balconies and access corridors while creating sheltered circulation areas that respect the rhythm of the existing structural grid. Roof surfaces and the tops of new components are used for energy generation via photovoltaics. Facade elements and weather panels from the existing building are reused as floor slabs and protective coverings, maintaining a closed material loop.
The outdoor spaces follow the same logic: reused materials, accessible pathways, and green gathering areas connect the building to the “Am Kammweg” landscape promenade. Existing trees are preserved, and large infiltration areas support the sponge city strategy.
This transformation illustrates how serial GDR housing can be turned into a vibrant, resource-efficient, and social place—a model project for sustainable adaptation of existing building stock.