The office building at Ritterstraße 16 stands out as a robust structure in the bustling and rugged Berlin Kreuzberg neighborhood. A visible facade structure made of precast concrete elements, interwoven across all floors, unites the diverse range of occupants within to form a cohesive whole. The building is designed as a perimeter block along the street, creating an intimate courtyard with an open staircase at the rear. Loggias and terraces give structure to the facades and provide outdoor gathering spaces for all occupants of the building.
In keeping with the design concept of a typical Kreuzberg industrial complex, visitors enter the 6-story building through a passageway leading to the courtyard area with its main entrance. A reinforced concrete skeleton structure creates open floor plans. The floor-to-ceiling windows of the slender aluminum façade ensure ample natural light. Concrete core temperature control in the exposed concrete ceilings ensures a comfortable indoor climate.
The building is DGNB Gold certified and designed to be barrier-free. As an inner-city infill development, it utilizes existing infrastructure and transportation connections as part of the urban network. Bicycle parking spaces are located in the inner courtyard and in the basement. Energy is supplied via a district heating connection and a photovoltaic system on the green roof. In addition to the external sunshades, the deep loggias provide natural self-shading.
