The existing apartment buildings with 12 apartments each are supposed to be energetically restorated. The goal is to renovate the building’s shell as well as the roof without changing the building’s characteristics. Priority is to maintain the horizontal running lines of bricks around the building.

Our study shows that the building’s structural design is formed by stacked levels. The facade of each floor switches between plaster and brick walls which accentuates each floor. The original design shows each material running horizontally towards the edges without relation to each other.

Our recommendation was to change a small but significant detail of the building’s façade, insuring that the building’s characteristics stay prominent. Our proposed design reforms the edges of the building in a reciprocal manner. This results in meander shapes wrapping themselves around the building. By this minimal change both buildings now have a definite beginning and end. 

The change of materials between clinker facing and grater plaster also make a thermal insulation system possible. The original wooden framed windows will be replaced with a wood-aluminium-construction. Also the balconies need to be renovated and waterproofed.