The ‘O’, one of four letter-shaped apartment buildings that together spell out the word HOME in Mannheim’s Franklin Mitte neighbourhood, topped out in a ceremony held on Friday. Designed by MVRDV, the 15-storey building housing 135 apartments is one of the standout elements of the new neighbourhood, which is transforming the former Benjamin Franklin US military barracks in the north-east of the city. The ceremony was attended by the Mayor of Mannheim Ralf Eisenhauer, Managing Partner of RVI GmbH Hermann Brach, Managing Director of the MWS Projektentwicklungsgesellschaft mbH Achim Judt, and MVRDV Associate Christine Sohar.

The central terrace of The 'O' is accessed via a public stairway. Image © MVRDV

Franklin Mitte is one of a number of neighbourhoods being realised in the sustainable transformation of the former Benjamin Franklin US military barracks. The masterplan for Franklin Mitte, which combines a mixture of different building types and uses on a 41-hectare site, incorporates a number of elements from MVRDV’s masterplan proposal for the same site. Notable among these are the four landmark high-rise buildings that collectively spell the word HOME – a welcoming message written in English, in part as a reference to the area’s American history.

At the centre of the ‘O’ – also known as “Orbit” – is a public terrace. Accessed by a public stairway, this terrace offers views over the neighbourhood and provides a grand entrance route to the bar located inside the building’s 4th floor. Together with the neighbouring Green Hill project, this podium will soon become an ideal event location with viewers able to watch a show taking place on top of the hill.

“The ‘O’ is something special, because the opening in the building allowed us to create an inviting area that communicates with the open space around it, but also with the hill”, says Christine Sohar. “This is how the large outside staircase came about, which represents a great connection between the Hill and the Orbit – with the central space, which we like to call an urban living room. It was also important to us that in the Orbit every flat has at least one balcony as a private outdoor space.”

From left to right: Mannheim Mayor Ralf Eisenhauer; Managing Director of the MWS Projektentwicklungsgesellschaft mbH Achim Judt; Managing Partner of RVI GmbH Hermann Brach; MVRDV Associate Christine Sohar; Managing Director of RVI GmbH Ralf Walter. Image © RVI / Sebastian Weindel

“FRANKLIN continues to grow”, adds Mannheim mayor Ralf Eisenhauer. “Thanks to this, we ever-more urgently need living space for the people of Mannheim and those who want to come to Mannheim. The development of FRANKLIN-O is thereby an important milestone, not only because of the new flats, but also as a recognisable milestone for the district.”

The ‘O’ is the second of the four letter-shaped buildings in the neighbourhood to top out. It follows The ‘E’, designed by AS+P, which will officially open later this month. Completion of The ‘O’ is planned for 2025.

Read more about The ‘O’ here.