WERK12
- Country
- Germany
- City
- Munich
- Year
- 2019
- Budget
- €16,000,000
- Client
- OTEC GmbH & Co. KG
- Status
- On site
- Programs
- Offices, Retail, Cultural, Bar-restaurant, Wellness
- Themes
- Architecture, Transformations
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Responding to the sites rich industrial history, the challenge was to create a contextual yet contemporary building that would exist as the nucleus of the emerging Werksviertel district located in close proximity to the city’s Ostbahnhof (Munich East railway station). The proposal blurs interior and exterior; and articulates programmatic elements rather than conceal them. WERK12 is a building that remains in constant dialogue with its surroundings: a (transparent) reincarnation of an industrial past that celebrates the future.
The Werksviertel district is planned for a site that has in the past been host to a diverse and lively array of activities: a dumpling factory, a motorbike testing centre and a lubricant refinery. MVRDV celebrates this character with a proposal that embraces the industrial qualities of adaptability and functionality without turning its back on the future. In doing so maximum daylight exposure and ventilation are prioritized whilst ceiling heights in excess of 5m and a robust concrete structure accommodate future changes.
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Extending the idea of dialogue, the circulation snakes around the building, leading from the main square up to the top floor: a public route to the sky. The panoramic stairs are linked to 3.25 meter wide terraces surrounding each floor. The generous terraces put interior in conversation with exterior whilst shading floors below. In a similar manner, the 5-meter-high letters across the façade of WERK12 call out to passersby and occupants. They are a tribute to the graffiti culture and extensive use of signage found on the old site.
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Designed as upscale urban art pieces by local artists Engelmann and Engl the letters give the building emotion. Making use of common (German) expressions and textspeak the building resonates with both young and old. The expressions depicted are fractional and work with the repetition of letters. In this way, they create emotions that are not only visually stimulating but extend as an acoustic component. The ultimate contrast occurs when the building is illuminated at night. Simple geometries and honest materials morph into a vibrant lightshow – the new selfie hotspot of Munich.
WERK12 will open in February 2019 with a high-end health club, several bars, restaurants for nightlife and gastronomy as well as office spaces – all demonstrating the full potential of the design.
Gallery
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Credits
- Architect
- Principal in charge
- Partner
- Design team
- Visualization
- Strategy & Development
- Copyright: MVRDV
#WERK12
bold lettering spells out words such as 'AAHHH', 'OH', and 'WOW'.
AAHHH: construction starts on WERK12, a mixed-use centre in Munich designed by @MVRDV with lettered glass façade by artists Engelmann and Engl
“WERK12 construction progress! Link: t.co/AP0hBYrCyI”
“Construction starts on WERK12 by MVRDV t.co/3u2D1mLMNw #architecture”
