GRASBROOKPARK COMMUNITY BUILDING, Hafencity, Hamburg

Competition, 2019

COMMUNITY BUILDING FOR grasbrookPARK

Our proposal explores the park pavilion typology through form, playfulness and colour. The yellow ochre colour of the facade, together with the green roof and the exposed wooden elements of the structure and walls, give it a park character rather than a street character. Its dynamic form relates to the free forms of the park and the orientation towards the waterside areas.

The bright colour metal exterior of the building is paired with natural materials, exploring a language that is robust yet soft; industrial yet crafted; efficient yet fun. A canopy and metal mesh panels provide shelter and shadow. The rooflight provides indirect sunlight. The facade is designed on a regular grid with solid and translucent sections. Artwork is integrated into the facade.

The kiosk and public bathrooms are clearly visible to visitors from the park entrance. The multi-function room faces the eastern side of the pavilion to offer more privacy and a slight separation from the main pedestrian traffic areas, while at the same time maintaining an openness to the park and allowing the room to extend towards the green areas.

All the structures are built in prefabricated Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT), which are exposed on the internal spaces and provide natural wooden finishes without the need for additional materials. The steel façade and the metal mesh panels are durable and have great resistance to vandalism and the seaside weather of Hafencity.

The main building composition is CLT combined with thermal insulation and steel cladding panels treated with natural oil pigments. The building takes advantage of the natural sunlight, while at the same time providing shadow mainly on the southwestern sides. The building materials combine the durability with sustainable construction and high thermal mass.