Railway Service Building

Railway Service Building
© Martin Schlüter

RAILWAY SERVICE BUILDING

Blauraum

ARCHITECTS
Blauraum

AREA
1.0 m²

LOCATION
Hamburg, Germany

CATEGORY
Institutional Buildings

YEAR
2010

PHOTOGRAPHS
Martin Schlüter

Text description provided by architect.

The result decreases CO2 emissions by the weight of 2 African elephants (10,635 kg/year) and saves as much energy as 6 100 square metre homes consume in a year (55,974 kWh/year).

Railway Service Building
© Martin Schlüter
Railway Service Building
© Martin Schlüter

These are the figures summing up the ecological balance of the new building housing offices, locker rooms and toilets for about 170 railway workers in the goods yard on the bank of Hamburg’s Spree dockyard.

All this in a massive 3 level construction built on half the amount of land as was occupied by the old building, offering room for about 170 workers with common areas, locker rooms and toilets as well as office space.

Railway Service Building
© Martin Schlüter
Railway Service Building
© Martin Schlüter
Railway Service Building
© Martin Schlüter

The building is located among the railway tracks, and its white ceramic walls form a true landmark in this heterogeneous context.

Use of ceramic has practical benefits too, providing robust, easy to clean surfaces in a building used by so many people.

Railway Service Building
© Martin Schlüter
Railway Service Building
© Martin Schlüter

The concept of the “solar sail”, incorporated in the cube of the building and preventing creation of shadow zones while improving its appearance, provides about a quarter of the energy required to heat water for the showers.

The figures speak clearly, as the Hamburg architectural studio Blauraum focused on sustainable design in the project, because people tend to pay attention only to large-scale green projects, when it is smaller buildings like this one that actually make all the difference.

Railway Service Building
© Martin Schlüter


Railway Service Building
site plan

Railway Service Building
plan


Railway Service Building
diagram
Railway Service Building
diagram
Railway Service Building
diagram
Railway Service Building
diagram


Railway Service Building
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Railway Service Building
perspective