Richard Rogers Partnership - Daimler Chrysler

Richard Rogers Partnership
Daimler Chrysler
Potsdamer Platz
Berlin, Germany

“The completed buildings are striking expressions of the rise of an eco-architecture on a grand urban scale.”
Kenneth Powell

Richard Rogers Partnership has designed three of the buildings for Daimler Chrysler in Berlin within the Potsdamer Platz master plan by the Renzo Piano Workshop.

Photo: Katsuhisa Kida

The three buildings on Linkstrasse, totalling almost 60,000 square meters, comprise of two buildings for offices and retail and a third building with three levels of retail and 72 residential apartments.
The brief defined mixed use of office space, housing and retail, with the traditional Berlin block plan of no more than 9 stories in height. and the facades featuring terracotta block panels; the hall mark of the Renzo Piano plan.
One of the main objectives of the design was to create innovative, low-energy buildings with a high-quality user comfort.

Photo: arcspace

Sketch courtesy Richard Rogers Partnership

The design opens up the South-East side of the blocks facing the park. This building form allows light to penetrate into the courtyard, atrium and internal spaces. All the offices and flats have a direct view over the park as well as a prestigious address defined by the main entrance on Linkstraße.

Photo: arcspace

The master plan proposed that the entrance for the offices be located at level 2 at a height of 10 meters and for the housing at level 3 at a height of 13 meters.
This potential disadvantage has been turned into one of the focal points of the design: opening all three blocks emphasises the vertical circulation. The spectacular sequence of stairs to escalator and lifts provides a clear layout and a direct link between entrance level and park for the office buildings.

Photo: arcspace

All office spaces are naturally ventilated, making use of night-time free cooling and solar radiation in the atria. In the building containing housing the glazing system is supported by a water-filled steel structure which acts as a radiator in winter. Electronically operated sun-shading devices and opening windows minimise solar gain and maximise natural ventilation during the summer months.

Sketch courtesy Richard Rogers Partnership

Photo: arcspace

The hollow core plan form of the office buildings is cut away progressively from roof level down flooding the atriums with natural light. The atriums are fully naturally ventilated. Fresh air is supplied through the plenum located between retail and the offices. Computer simulations were conducted in order to optimise the thermal conditions and air flow in the atrium. Solar radiation contributes to the heating and thereby reduces energy consumption in the winter. The natural ventilation ensures that a comfortable climate prevails in the entrance area and the offices adjacent to the atrium throughout the year.

Photo: arcspace

The housing is arranged around a terraced courtyard, with the apartments above enjoying views out over the park.
The units are designed to optimise passive solar energy, natural ventilation and daylight, creating innovative buildings with a high-quality user comfort. The housing mass has been situated in order to benefit from solar orientation and to optimise views onto the park.
The ratio of glazing areas to solid wall construction is determined by the orientation and analysis of heat losses and solar gains and by orientating the housing block to the South-East this maximises sunlight penetration into the courtyard and living spaces beyond.

The glazing areas to the North-East and North-West façades are comparatively small which reduces heat loss during the winter months. The high proportion of glazing to the South-West and South-East elevations results in a hierarchy of spaces with the living areas opening onto the courtyard and the majority of bedrooms situated to the North-East/North-West sides.

Sketch courtesy Richard Rogers Partnership

The passive use of solar energy is maximised through winter gardens on the South-West and South-East elevations. The winter gardens act as direct solar gain spaces and buffer zones, with preheated air used to ventilate or warm the internal accommodation space in winter. Sun shading provided by aluminium louvres on sliding tracks prevents overheating in summer.

The double-height penthouses are fully glazed to the courtyard side. The glazing system is supported by a water-filled steel structure which acts as a radiator during the winter. Electronically operated sun-shading devices and opening windows minimise solar gain and maximise natural ventilation during the summer.

Plan. Office Building
Drawing courtesy Richard Rogers Partnership

Drawing courtesy Richard Rogers Partnership
Section. Office Building

Drawing courtesy Richard Rogers Partnership
Section. Housing Building

Client
Daimler Chrysler debis Immobilienmanagement

Area
Office : 29,000m2 (in building B4 + B6)
Housing : 16,300m2 (in building B8)
Retail : 12,500m2 (in building B4, B6 + B8)
TOTAL: 57,800 m2

Design and Construction periods
Design: 1993
Construction: 1996 - 1999
Completion:1999

Consultants

Structural Engineers:
Detail design: Weiske & Partner GmbH
Design: Ove Arup & Partners

Detail design: Knebel & Schumacher

Services:
Design: RP+K Sozietät
Construction: Schmidt-Reuter und Partner

Thermal & Acoustical Installation:
Müller BBM GmbH

Facade:
Institut für Fassadentechnik IFFT

Retail Consultant:
ECE Projektmanagement GmbH

Office Consultant:
Mm Warburg Schlüter & Co

Fire Protection:
debis Risk Consult GmbH
Hosser Hass & Partner

Lift Consultant and Facade Cleaning:
Hundt & Partner

Cost Management:
Davis Langdon & Everest (appointed by RRP for design phase only)
Drees & Sommer

Landscape Architect:
Krüger & Mührle

Contractors
Main structure: Müller Altvatter + C Barasel AG GmbH
Facade: Steiner Infratec - Schweizer
Services: Stangl GmbH
Schedule: 1993 -1999

April 15, 2002

Richard Rogers arcspace features





				Features
		Richard Rogers Partnership Daimler Chrysler Potsdamer Platz Berlin, Germany “The completed buildings are striking expressions of the rise of an eco-architecture on a grand urban scale.” Kenneth Powell Richard Rogers Partnership has designed three of the buildings for Daimler Chrysler in Berlin within the Potsdamer Platz master plan by the Renzo Piano Workshop. Photo: Katsuhisa Kida The three buildings on Linkstrasse, totalling almost 60,000 square meters, comprise of two buildings for offices and retail and a third building with three levels of retail and 72 residential apartments. The brief defined mixed use of office space, housing and retail, with the traditional Berlin block plan of no more than 9 stories in height. and the facades featuring terracotta block panels; the hall mark of the Renzo Piano plan. One of the main objectives of the design was to create innovative, low-energy buildings with a high-quality user comfort. Photo: arcspace Sketch courtesy Richard Rogers Partnership The design opens up the South-East side of the blocks facing the park. This building form allows light to penetrate into the courtyard, atrium and internal spaces. All the offices and flats have a direct view over the park as well as a prestigious address defined by the main entrance on Linkstraße. Photo: arcspace Photo: arcspace Photo: arcspace Photo: arcspace The master plan proposed that the entrance for the offices be located at level 2 at a height of 10 meters and for the housing at level 3 at a height of 13 meters. This potential disadvantage has been turned into one of the focal points of the design: opening all three blocks emphasises the vertical circulation. The spectacular sequence of stairs to escalator and lifts provides a clear layout and a direct link between entrance level and park for the office buildings. Photo: arcspace All office spaces are naturally ventilated, making use of night-time free cooling and solar radiation in the atria. In the building containing housing the glazing system is supported by a water-filled steel structure which acts as a radiator in winter. Electronically operated sun-shading devices and opening windows minimise solar gain and maximise natural ventilation during the summer months. Sketch courtesy Richard Rogers Partnership Photo: arcspace The hollow core plan form of the office buildings is cut away progressively from roof level down flooding the atriums with natural light. The atriums are fully naturally ventilated. Fresh air is supplied through the plenum located between retail and the offices. Computer simulations were conducted in order to optimise the thermal conditions and air flow in the atrium. Solar radiation contributes to the heating and thereby reduces energy consumption in the winter. The natural ventilation ensures that a comfortable climate prevails in the entrance area and the offices adjacent to the atrium throughout the year. Photo: arcspace The housing is arranged around a terraced courtyard, with the apartments above enjoying views out over the park. The units are designed to optimise passive solar energy, natural ventilation and daylight, creating innovative buildings with a high-quality user comfort. The housing mass has been situated in order to benefit from solar orientation and to optimise views onto the park. The ratio of glazing areas to solid wall construction is determined by the orientation and analysis of heat losses and solar gains and by orientating the housing block to the South-East this maximises sunlight penetration into the courtyard and living spaces beyond. The glazing areas to the North-East and North-West façades are comparatively small which reduces heat loss during the winter months. The high proportion of glazing to the South-West and South-East elevations results in a hierarchy of spaces with the living areas opening onto the courtyard and the majority of bedrooms situated to the North-East/North-West sides. Sketch courtesy Richard Rogers Partnership The passive use of solar energy is maximised through winter gardens on the South-West and South-East elevations. The winter gardens act as direct solar gain spaces and buffer zones, with preheated air used to ventilate or warm the internal accommodation space in winter. Sun shading provided by aluminium louvres on sliding tracks prevents overheating in summer. The double-height penthouses are fully glazed to the courtyard side. The glazing system is supported by a water-filled steel structure which acts as a radiator during the winter. Electronically operated sun-shading devices and opening windows minimise solar gain and maximise natural ventilation during the summer. Plan. Office Building Drawing courtesy Richard Rogers Partnership Drawing courtesy Richard Rogers Partnership Section. Office Building Drawing courtesy Richard Rogers Partnership Section. Housing Building Client Daimler Chrysler debis Immobilienmanagement Area Office : 29,000m2 (in building B4 + B6) Housing : 16,300m2 (in building B8) Retail : 12,500m2 (in building B4, B6 + B8) TOTAL: 57,800 m2 Design and Construction periods Design: 1993 Construction: 1996 - 1999 Completion:1999 Consultants Structural Engineers: Detail design: Weiske & Partner GmbH Design: Ove Arup & Partners Detail design: Knebel & Schumacher Services: Design: RP+K Sozietät Construction: Schmidt-Reuter und Partner Thermal & Acoustical Installation: Müller BBM GmbH Facade: Institut für Fassadentechnik IFFT Retail Consultant: ECE Projektmanagement GmbH Office Consultant: Mm Warburg Schlüter & Co Fire Protection: debis Risk Consult GmbH Hosser Hass & Partner Lift Consultant and Facade Cleaning: Hundt & Partner Cost Management: Davis Langdon & Everest (appointed by RRP for design phase only) Drees & Sommer Landscape Architect: Krüger & Mührle Contractors Main structure: Müller Altvatter + C Barasel AG GmbH Facade: Steiner Infratec - Schweizer Services: Stangl GmbH Schedule: 1993 -1999 April 15, 2002 Richard Rogers arcspace features