Aschaffenburg

Residential and commercial building 

158 rental apartments

Large-scale retail space for NORSK Deutschland AG 

Phases 1–8, direct commission 

Gross floor area: 19,231 sq m 

On the northeastern edge of downtown Aschaffenburg, typical urban functions meet quieter neighborhoods characterized by residential buildings and local services. Where, until recently, a low-rise supermarket with an attached parking lot had left the block bounded by Ernsthofstraße and Goldbacherstraße in a state of urban disarray, the new construction of a mixed-use residential and commercial building now serves as a form of urban renewal. The multi-sectioned, L-shaped structure frames the corner site with perimeter development and presents itself directly opposite the monolithic shopping center as a striking, architecturally finely articulated counterpoint. The complex consists of a square block and a long transverse wing set back into the block, which forms four end buildings of varying heights facing Ernsthofstraße. Thanks to this variation in height, the building connects with the heterogeneous existing development in the immediate vicinity and closes off the block with a bold gesture toward Goldbachstraße. The upper floors are reserved for residential use and house a total of 148 compact two-, three-, and four-room apartments; the surrounding base zone is designed for a variety of commercial uses. This classic urban functional allocation is also reflected in the design of the vertically accentuated brick facades, which draw The upper floors are reserved for residential use and house a total of 148 compact two-, three-, and four-room apartments; the surrounding base zone is designed for a variety of commercial uses. This classic urban functional allocation is also reflected in the design of the vertically accentuated brick facades, which draw inspiration from the elegant, expressionist urban architecture of the early 20th century. 

Project Team: Jens Jakob Happ, Jelena Duchrow, Ting Zheng, Cihan Akar, Anjuscha Helbig, Matthis Scholz, Guillaume Schmitz