Dockyard Hybrid Office Building

Intended for transportation and storage of goods, a three-storey administration building with a canteen and storage buildings, and warehouses shaped the Spree embankment along Stralauer Allee between Oberbaumbrücke (Oberbaum Bridge) and Treptower Park.

In the early 2000s, TCHOBAN VOSS Architekten set out a master plan for new construction and further development of the Osthafen area, incorporating the historical buildings.

The eastern end of this area consists of what was, until the start of the Dockyard project, the last undeveloped plot (Stralauer Allee 15-16) with an area of 13,400 sqm.

The way that the building at the east end of the East Harbour area rises slightly above its neighbour corresponds with the slightly higher buildings at the west end of the promenade – the historical egg cold-storage warehouse, the listed 'Spreespeicher' (Spree storage building), and the nhow Berlin music and lifestyle hotel.

The bottom two storeys of the linking structure function as an open, pillar-free passageway allowing views of the Spree in the direction of Kreuzberg on one side and of the historical development on Stralauer Allee on the other.

The sustainable hybrid-timber load-bearing structure, a well-thought-out combination of timber and concrete, makes optimal use of the advantages of both materials.

DELTABEAM® Green composite beams were used in the area of the hybrid ceilings. The load-bearing structure of the five-storey link is managed entirely without steel beams.

The diagonal trusses are positioned to create passageways between the individual areas. The ceilings of the basement and ground floor are entirely of reinforced concrete.

The roofs have been extensively planted with greenery. On both parts of the building, roof terraces with seating offer panoramic views of the Spree in the direction of the Wrangelkiez (Wrangel neighbourhood) in Kreuzberg. The two roof terraces are linked by a footbridge above the bridging structure.

Entrance to the buildings is from the north side of the complex, which faces Stralauer Allee. Horizontal access is via two staircase cores and barrier-free elevators. The basement contains an underground car park with a total of 81 parking spaces, of which nine are barrier-free. Electric charging stations are provided for all parking places.

FAÇADE DESIGN

The main façades from the first to the sixth floors are glass unitized façades with a two-storey grid of cornices and pilaster strips. The extensive glass surfaces ensure optimal illumination to compensate for the building's depth and thus minimize the use of artificial lighting.

The south façades overlooking the Spree are articulated by projecting bay windows that are offset every two floors and support balconies. The glass façades on the west, north, and east sides have partly recessed loggias, which are likewise offset every two floors.

Vertical pilaster strips run along each expansion axis. The façades of the bridging structure have large-format mullion-transom glazing. There are printed glass panels where the ceilings touch the sides of the building.

USE

Both parts of the building are intended for use as office spaces. The office areas are on the first to the sixth floors. The layout grid selected allows the open space area to be flexibly divided into individual small offices or open plan offices to suit specific needs; it meets all the requirements for a contemporary office building.

INTERIOR AND ART

The lobbies, the marketing suite, and the signage system were designed by Ippolito Fleitz Group. The art installation under the ceilings of the lobbies was created by Julius von Bismarck and is entitled 'Die Luft muss man sich wegdenken' ('One Must Think Away the Air').

SUSTAINABILITY

The fight against climate change through the reduction of CO₂ emissions was a focus of attention for both the client and the architects. The selection of sustainable materials made it possible to save CO₂ at an early stage in the project. The use of timber in the columns, trusses, and ceilings helps Dockyard optimize its ecological footprint.

It weighs 66% less than reinforced concrete and has outstanding CO₂-storage capability - 1.171 kg CO₂ per cbm, according to its manufacturer. The ceilings use cross-laminated timber (CLT) made from PEFC-certified softwood (mainly spruce).

The timber elements were prefabricated as system components and can therefore be installed quickly. Wood stores CO₂ and is a climate-neutral building material.

The hybrid construction utilises the energy benefits of the materials used, such as recycled concrete. Due to its high thermal mass, concrete heats up only slowly during the summer months, which reduces the energy needed for cooling the building.

Altogether, 800 tonnes of 'green' steel were used. A building is only sustainable if its operation is also sustainable. To achieve net-zero operation without the use of fossil fuels, Dockyard relies for its energy supply on green, regenerative energy sources such as solar, geothermal, and ambient air.

The preservation of grey energy through the tunnel's conversion to a new function makes a positive contribution to the building's ecological and energy balance. Water releases energy as it freezes. The 1.6-million-litre ice container can accordingly be used in winter for heating and in summer for cooling the building and as temporary storage for excess building heat. Hot water can even be produced the whole year round.