Europe
SPARK
office
development
in
Berlin,
Germany
The hybrid timber SPARK project will create an office block that serves as a new breeding ground for innovation. TOWNSCAPE, a Berlin-based real estate development company, selected a location with excellent transport connections and infrastructure on Storkower Strasse for this development, right between the popular districts of Prenzlauer Berg and Friedrichshain in the east of the German capital.
Alongside the location and the building itself, the design and landscaping of the surrounding outdoor areas also played a central role in the planning of this project. The aim is to create welcoming, open spaces that are not dominated by vehicular traffic. Cafés and restaurants will bring bustling urban life to the area.
The planners are aiming to achieve a gold certificate from the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) for this climate-friendly hybrid timber construction, which features an element facade and floor-to-ceiling windows.
- Construction phase: 2022-2024
- Location: Berlin, Germany
- Developer/planner: TOWNSCAPE
- Construction contractor: Köster Bau
Open terraces will be created on the tops of the two six-storey wings. Featuring panoramic views, they will be ideal for socialising and for informal get-togethers. A modern restaurant will be located on the first floor.
Around 13,600 m² of flexible office and conference space is to be created on the upper storeys of this development and will come online from mid-2023 onwards.
Impressions of the construction work
The SOLITEX ADHERO 1000 weathering-protection membrane is particularly suitable for timber and hybrid timber constructions. This permeable, full-surface adhesive membrane was used on this project to provide protection against wind and moisture. Thanks to this product’s pore-free, moisture-activated functional membrane, any water that has penetrated into the structural timber an unforeseen manner will reliably diffuse to the outside again. Installation of this membrane is a relatively easy task for two people: one person rolls out the membrane and removes the release film, while the other person uses a brush to ensure ideal adhesion. The corners can be finished off using the PRESSFIX application tool.
Intricate detail features can simply be cut out using a utility knife. pro clima’s AEROSANA VISCONN liquid sealant is being used to seal these challenging geometries. In this way, surfaces and transitions/joints can be quickly protected against the elements!
The edges are taped neatly and seamlessly using the TESCON VANA all-round adhesive tape to ensure windtightness and rain protection.
Update, May 2023: SPARK, the new centre for innovation in Berlin, is starting to take shape! The skeleton structure is now in place for five of the planned six storeys in hybrid timber construction – the sixth floor is currently being erected.
More information about this project (in German only)
