Type
culture

Source
invited competition

Client
Wettbewerb Architekturbüro Thiele

Address/Site
Alter Schlachthof 57, Karlsruhe

Total floor area
3.419 m2

Program
offices

Structure
reinforced concrete

Cladding
glass, steel net

Architect
SADAR+VUGA (Jurij Sadar, Boštjan Vuga, Maša Ogrin. Maja Omerzel, Matjaž Bahor) Andreas Cesarini, visualisations

The Kreativwirtschaftzentrum Karlsruhe new building identity is based on the light and robust presence. The building is located in the post-industrial area of the old slaughterhouse. Nowadays the area consists of both renowned complexes and the new buildings and encourages the diverse environment of Karlsruhe’s creative hot-spot.

The robust volumes of the existing industrial typologies consist out of spacious interiors that suit the flexible, anti-restrictive character of the creative activities. The overall contour of the old slaughterhouse area is quite memorable, providing a magnetic cool-factor for hosting the creative industries within the robust hardware. To work and to create in the Schlachthof would be a formatting factor in the identity of any start-up, production studio or a fashion store located in the area.

The new building Kreativwirtschaftzentrum is a five-story concrete structure built on a 10×10 raster and prestressed concrete slabs without beams. The large span without supports in addition to a solely one vertical core contributes to the loft-like design of the interior space that can be either split or extended to adjust the user’s needs.

Each floor is divided into three belts: the outer belts consist of transparent offices while the central zone is dedicated to common areas of informal work and socializing. The belts are interconnectable: office spaces extends to a central space when needed. At the eastern and the western sides of the building, the floor extends to the spacious gang fenced by a  steel mesh. As a result, during the spring and summer season, the work activities can migrate from the interior of the building to the gang