Beyerstraße Ulm

The transition between the gable roof in the east and the flat roof in the west with 5 floors is charmingly resolved by accentuating the roof surface at the striking south-east corner, which then gently dissolves over the flat roof of the southern structure. The closed construction of the south and east sides is contrasted with a loosened and terraced construction of the “Remise”, which in turn is oriented to the existing residential development to the west.
The loosened-up construction of the rear building guarantees good lighting and ventilation of the attractive inner courtyard and creates varied outdoor areas on the upper floors, which can be used as private or communal roof terraces, e.g. also for “urban gardening”.

The urban accent of the roof at the south-east corner is consistently continued in the base area of the building. Here, a large horizontal section forms an “urban welcome gesture” that welcomes residents and restaurant guests alike. The development of the light-flooded inner courtyard is coordinated in terms of urban planning with the crosswalk to the city park and, together with the covered open-air restaurant areas, forms a pleasant extension of the public space and thus forms the barrier-free main entrance to the ensemble.

The apartments are accessed via two further passages with adjoining staircases on the ground floor, which can be reached either from the respective street sides or from the landscaped inner courtyard.
The functions of bicycle storage and garbage rooms are conveniently located on the first floor directly adjacent to the entrances of the residential development, thus meeting the zeitgeist of sustainable urban living in the 21st century.

The 31 apartments are conveniently and economically accessed by just two enclosed stairwells. The necessary corridors of the floors are consistently realized as open arcade access for the closed structure (south and east side) in the heated area of the building envelope and in the part of the “Remise”.

The arcade not only serves as a development area for the apartments, but can also be used privately as a roof terrace for “urban gardening” or for communal areas. In addition to its use as a roof terrace, the pergola also serves in each case as a second escape route or can simply be used as convenient access to the stairwell opposite for a shorter route out of the building to the city.

In terms of design, the base floor with its special uses is clearly set apart from the plaster facade of the upper floors by its slabbed clinker facade. The elongated window bands unify and calm the different window and loggia sizes that result from the required housing mix. The strict window bands loosen up playfully towards the south-east corner and thus create an exciting play in the facade, which is continued by the terracing of the “Remise” around the rear part of the building.

Cluster apartments

Particular attention is given to the cluster apartments in this design. The first cluster apartment is located on the first floor with small garden shares and a community garden, and its first floor location makes it perfectly situated for older residents who shy away from long walks and, in some cases, the use of an elevator.
The second cluster apartment is located on the top floor with spectacular views over the park and the city. The common room is located in the urbanistically accentuated southeast corner of the ensemble and reflects the special use of the cluster apartment for single mothers through the roof, which is raised again here.
The generous roof terrace with south-west orientation offers the residents a high quality of life and is probably also used all day by the special group of residents.

Flexible gastronomy areas

The planned catering area on the ground floor is located in a prominent position in the ensemble and is intended to enliven the main entrance or access to the courtyard with its exterior and window surfaces. It is important in this concept to avoid a predominantly vacant event space and to be able to flexibly adapt the different sizes of use. During normal operation, the restaurant area is reduced in size and the multifunctional room, which is unused at the same time, is assigned to the courtyard as a covered outdoor terrace. When using the common function room, its facade is enlarged and a partition wall is installed between the restaurant and the function room. In this way, the required sizes of both areas are achieved, but both areas can be conveniently catered by the restaurant. If necessary, the two areas of use can be combined to create a spacious hospitality space that can be used in a variety of ways.

Housing typology

The planned housing mix corresponds to the required housing mix from the invitation to tender. Due to the special type of development (mixture of closed staircase with open arcade) it is possible to present all required apartment sizes on one floor. This results in a very good mix of the future resident groups.

All apartments have a loggia, roof terraces or terrace areas on the first floor and are oriented to the south, west and east.
A majority of the apartments have exterior bathrooms, which in most cases can be equipped with either a bathtub or a floor-level shower. The kitchens of all apartments are designed as open kitchens, but the kitchens of the 3- and 4-room apartments can also be separated without changing the floor plan.

Energy concept

The planned building meets the energy requirements as a “KfW Efficiency House 55” in an economical way by connecting to the district heating network and using ETICS and gradient insulation.
The stairwells are inside and both basement floors are outside the insulated envelope.
With the use of triple insulating glazing and an exhaust air system in the sanitary units with air circulation of the outside air via sufficient window rebate ventilators, a very economical and low-maintenance system has been selected and the maximum value of the specific transmission heat loss Ht’ for a “KfW Efficiency House 55” is complied with.
Possible improvements in the energy balance are available with the use of ventilation systems with heat recovery and PV systems, but are not necessary to meet the “KfW Efficiency House 55” standards.