Hardwood used for the New German Parliment
Architects who designed the new building choose this type of wood, creating an atmosphere of warmth and comfort
The new German Parliment was inaugerated in January of this year culminating in over seven years of work. The new offices are innovative in design effectively harmonising the old with the new.
The first impression is that of stark contrast to the historic Reichstag building next door but on closer inspection the use of high quality building materials designed to stand the test of time, is the common denominator between the two buildings.
Known as "Jacob Kaiser House", the new offices comprise of eight buildings for a total of three thousand rooms, accomadating the two thousand two hundred employees of the German parliament. The creation of this new block of eight office buildings lining either side of Dorotheen Strasse, was a collaborative effort of five architectural firms— Schweger & Partner (Hamburg), Busmann & Haberer (Cologne), Von Gerkan, Marg & Partner (Hamburg), De Architekten Cie (Amsterdam), Van den Valentyn (Cologne).
Although from the outside it appears to be a collection of eight individual buildings, from the inside one is given the impression of a single complex.
This was achieved in two ways; firstly by a series of walkways, bridges and corridors that connect the different sections and secondly by adopting a common theme to the design of the interior atrium space — although each section still reflects the individual style of its own architect.
The most obvious element that links the different offices is the abundant uses of temperate hardwoods. The woods used were were Hard Maple ,White Oak and Birch. American White Oak was used for much of the interior office doors, frames and windows interspaced with hard maple veneer panelling in one section and Finnish birch in others.
The choice of these light coloured wood helps to create a feeling of light and space in the internal courtyards and corridors.
According to Nils Hartenstein, the project architect for Schweger & Partner, "the decision by all the architects involved to use a lot of hardwood has helped to create a sense of warmth and comfort to the interior — an important criteria for the occupants many of whom work long hours. We believe that the American white oak provides a texture, colour and quality for the joinery that we could not have achieved with European oak."
Hardwood was the choice of the designers, and their clients, in one of Europe's most environmentally conscious societies, Germany: this is a testiment to its suitability in building today, not only for its aesthetic qualities and structure but also for the fact that the wood has come from sustainably managed forests.
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