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Although the Wolff Palace is not a listed building, we drew up the tender documentation with the aim – in line with the terms of the invitation to tender – of ensuring that the project harmonises as closely as possible with the city’s historic environment and the building’s turn-of-the-century architecture. We therefore did not wish to alter either the plot layout characteristic of the site or the
street network. The ground floor of the building has always been used for commercial and hospitality purposes, which is why we have situated the two catering units here, alongside the ground-floor reception areas. On the existing first floor and in the roof extension we built, we have created loft-style apartments which not only complement the atmosphere of this turn-of-the-century building with its high ceilings, but also, with their two-storey layout, offer a unique functional experience compared to standard accommodation.
In terms of massing, our primary consideration was to retain the elements we considered valuable – and which were also highlighted in the competition brief – whilst meeting the requirement for increased floor area in a way that did not distort the original massing and façade proportions. We have retained the original building’s façade walls in their entirety, including the ornamentation, cornices, window frames and the layout of the doors and windows. By removing and raising the ceiling slab, we were able to create two-storey apartments with galleries. We slightly increased the floor area ratio on the first floor by utilising the smaller spaces around the stairwell, which also gave the inner courtyard a more compact layout. To accommodate the additional flats, we demolished the existing roof structure and installed a two-storey flat layout, which also features a mezzanine. The roof’s design follows the original structure, differing only slightly in its proportions; however, the increased volume better conceals the firewall adjoining the building, making it less noticeable from street level and reducing the amount of surface area visible from the surrounding buildings.
The choice of materials in the restaurants, communal spaces and apartments is characterised by warm, natural tones and a clean, uncluttered aesthetic, which creates a sense of spaciousness. Creating a timeless atmosphere was a key priority here too, which we sought to achieve through the use of natural materials and colours, combined with a modern and clean design language and unique details. We opted for an innovative solution for the cladding of the two-storey roof structure. A façade cladding material made from 100 per cent recycled PVC, based on the creative reuse of construction waste – such as window frames, guttering and downpipes. The coloured panels – available in three shades each of grey, terracotta, ochre and green – lend the façade a unique, natural texture and visual character.