The DER NEUE STÖCKACH project is not only creating a new piece of city in Stuttgart, but also a forward-looking driving force for neighbourhood development. The building project is part of the IBA `27 StadtRegion Stuttgart and is intended to provide an answer to the question "How do we want to live?". On the former EnBW site, which covers an area of around 7.25 hectares, the urban design by tong+ and Hannes Hörr envisages a lively, socially mixed and productive neighbourhood with different types of use and residential typologies in which people can live, work and live together. In view of the increasing scarcity of resources, the concept of the masterplan is also committed to sustainability. The aim is to achieve DGNB platinum or gold certification for the new buildings.
In cooperation with asp Architekten, we are developing Block A, which combines 76 residential and 6 commercial units, as well as the two existing buildings G20 and G30. Together with building block E, block A forms the entrance to the new neighbourhood. At its centre are the G20 and G30 buildings. These not only house innovative neighbourhood technology, but also a mobility hub, co-working, commercial space and restaurants. In addition to the lively ground floor uses, the G30 building will have a neighbourhood event hall for various uses with a wooden extension.
The urban development parameters of Block A, which takes up the steep slope of the topography, have already been defined in the framework plan. For a sustainable neighbourhood, the focus is on affordable housing, the reduction of car traffic, an alternative energy concept and a circular construction method. In line with the principles of "form follows simplification" and "form follows availability", we want to build simply and circularly. Taking into account the aspects of efficiency, simplification and deconstructability, the motto is to use as few resources as possible and as many as necessary.
In the planning of the building sections of Block A and the existing buildings G20 and G30, the approaches of simple, circular and resource-conserving construction are pursued, taking into account the entire life cycle of the building and its components. The advantages of sustainable construction not only play an ecological role, but also an economic one. The use of resource-conserving and reused materials as well as the reduction and omission of layers can reduce costs, enabling the use of ecological building materials elsewhere. In addition, various approaches promote social sustainability in interaction with the neighbourhood as a whole. For example, one-bedroom studio flats are offered for residents and the neighbourhood, which enable flexible usage scenarios. With barrier-free and wheelchair-accessible flats, access for people with disabilities and age-appropriate living is made possible and diversity in the neighbourhood is supported. Communal areas in the form of repair centres, common rooms and laundrettes are offered to promote communication and coexistence. There are also two spacious roof terraces with urban gardening for free use by all residents.
The structure of Block A is divided into three parts. A1 and A3 are designed as timber frame structures on a reinforced concrete base and A2 as a reinforced concrete frame structure. The reuse of building components, the use of recycled materials and the utilisation of local, renewable raw materials play a key role in all three parts of the building. The central architectural idea is that of a robust grid with load-bearing columns and bracing staircase cores. The grid system not only offers a solid basic structure, but also a great deal of flexibility. A high degree of prefabrication, future changes of use and the reuse of elements are made possible by the use of identical components.
The idea of the grid is also interpreted differently in the façades. In building section A2, which forms the high point in the centre, the grid structure is extended to the outside and made of RC precast concrete elements. Ideally, the glazing and brick infills will be made from the demolition material of the existing buildings. In this way, the façade makes reference to the existing industrial architecture and at the same time creates a new interpretation. Loggias are arranged along the north, east and south façades, some of which have two storeys to create an exciting break in the uniform façade appearance. To optimise the thermal envelope, these are stacked on top of each other.
The façade of building section A1 has a strong vertical structure. The close-meshed fields are filled with different types and shapes of wood and window elements. Recycled wood is planned for the façade cladding. The green shelving presented in the inner courtyard serves not only as a supporting structure for the balconies, but also as a climbing aid for plants.
The contrast between the large areas of glazing in the ground floor zone and the flat wooden façade of the residential storeys defines the façade appearance of building section A3. Vertical louvres cover the envelope and partially break up the uniform arrangement of the window openings by shifting them. In addition to this exciting interplay of the façade, balconies jut out on the east-west side to liven up the entrance square and the inner courtyard.
The field of sustainable construction does not end with the use of resource-saving and reused materials and products, but also includes their longevity. The idea of the "material store of the future" takes into account that resources will no longer be available to the same extent in the future and that the reuse of materials and components will play a significant advantage in the construction industry. The flexibility of the load-bearing structures and floor plans as well as the unmixed dismantling promote this idea of the "material store of the future". In addition, the reuse of components from the existing building strengthens the residents' identification with the site. NEUER STÖCKACH therefore has the potential to become a grown neighbourhood with its own history and aesthetics.