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ADEPT selected to design one of Germany’s largest CLT buildings in Hamburg

Germany Architecture News - Jun 24, 2021 - 16:04   5785 views

ADEPT selected to design one of Germany’s largest CLT buildings in Hamburg

Danish architecture studio ADEPT has won a competition to design a large public administration building in the center of Hamburg, Germany

Called Wandsbek, the project, covering a total of almost 34,000 square meters, will be one of Germany’s largest CLT buildings and is scheduled for occupancy in 2026.

In the next few years, the project is set to be built as one of Germany’s largest buildings which will be made of an entirely wooden construction, initiated by public real estate company Sprinkenhof GmbH. The complex will be completed in the Wandsbek district of Hamburg. 

Once the building is completed, it will accommodate 800 workplaces and create the framework for the citizens’ meeting with the public administration.

ADEPT selected to design one of Germany’s largest CLT buildings in Hamburg

The client envisions the building as a sustainable pilot project where the sustainability of the house is visible and present - and where the green facades and exposed Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) constructions tell the story of the values the client wants to be known for.

"The client’s high ambitions to build the house as a beacon for sustainable construction fit well with our own passion for creating sustainable solutions rooted in functionality and users," said Anders Lonka, the project’s responsible partner. 

"It is enormously inspiring to build for a public developer who takes on the responsibility of supporting behavioral changes in users and society towards a deeper responsibility towards the earth’s resources," Lonka added.

ADEPT selected to design one of Germany’s largest CLT buildings in Hamburg

The project is being built on a narrow plot, the Wandsbeker Zollinsel, that has given it its characteristic narrow shape. 

To turn the scale of the long building more human oriented, the building is split into smaller shifted volumes, which alternate in height and facade motifs to make the overall impression varied and vibrant.

ADEPT selected to design one of Germany’s largest CLT buildings in Hamburg

Towards the primary arrival plaza, which creates a new attractive urban space, a fully greened gable rises above street level. On the rest of the façade there are green elements that reflect the green roof gardens at the top. The building is planned to be certified DGNB Gold as a minimum.

The outer facades are designed to showcase the sustainable ambitions with great emphasis to a high degree of openness and interaction with users and seek to create a warm and inviting atmosphere throughout the building.

ADEPT selected to design one of Germany’s largest CLT buildings in Hamburg

Construction concept

"In 2020, we have opened an office in Hamburg to optimize our consultancy on a number of ongoing projects, and we hope, of course, that with the realization of the administration building in Wandsbek we will have even more opportunities to work with the larger sustainable building projects," said Anders Lonka.

ADEPT selected to design one of Germany’s largest CLT buildings in Hamburg

Green qualities diagram

ADEPT selected to design one of Germany’s largest CLT buildings in Hamburg

Human scale diagram

ADEPT selected to design one of Germany’s largest CLT buildings in Hamburg

Site plan

ADEPT selected to design one of Germany’s largest CLT buildings in Hamburg

South façade

In Germany, among other projects, ADEPT is also designing the development of Oberbillwerder, the new 105th district in Hamburg, the development of the 1100 ha district Neuperlach in Munich as well as the transformation of the cultural building Marinehaus in Berlin.

Project facts

Project name: Wandsbek

Architect: ADEPT

Client: Sprinkenhof GmbH

Location: Wandsbek District, Hamborg DE 

Size: 33.940 m2 total

Year: 2021 – 2026

Collaboration: Baubüro 1

Program: Public administration

All images courtesy of 

> via ADEPT