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A post-industrial site in Kiel, Germany has been targeted for a major makeover by Dutch architecture studio MVRDV. Just two weeks removed from the release of renderings illustrating a digital screen-covered proposal in Taipei, the sought-after company has unveiled its concept for a 65,000-square-metre complex in Kiel, the most populous city in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein.
Developed for Kap Horn GmbH, MVRDV's 'KoolKiel' concept intensifies a property currently occupied by a single-storey building home to creative and media industries, which the firm has taken inspiration from with its design. The building, formerly used for storing chains for ships, was later the printing site for Germany's popular Werner comics.
The vision retains the single-storey structure as commercial use but introduces a residential element on top. A new volume with a zig-zagging plinth containing offices and shops would be surmounted by further blocks of housing. The complex also dedicates space for a 250-room hotel tower linked to the plinth through a public event space.
A series of exterior spaces, including a courtyard and rooftop park, unify the elements of the plan. The buildings themselves will employ facade panels composed of fibre reinforced concrete that rest in front of the windows, silhouetting a number of icons and symbols inspired by the cultural richness of the area.
The scheme is far from set in stone—the proposal allows opportunities for community input to shape the final massing. As a result, "the building as it is eventually constructed might fall anywhere on a spectrum of options, from a conservative series of boxes to a wacky yet charismatic collection of cantilevers and iconography," reads the design breakdown on MVRDV's website.
"In a location with such a dynamic and creative existing community, it's obvious that the community should have a say in this development," said Jacob van Rijs, principal and cofounder of MVRDV. "KoolKiel is not only inspired by them, but it also allows them to tailor the proposal to their wishes—we're presenting them with not just a design, but also a question: 'how ‘Kool’ do you want it?'"
SkyriseCities will be sure to return to this project as progress continues. For more information, check out the associated Database file and Forum thread, and as always, feel free to join the conversation in the comments section below.
