Three towers of gold, silver, and bronze and three diagonally shaped city blocks make up THE:SQUARE3, a new mixed use development inspired by sport that revitalises a unique urban quarter in Berlin. The project is just nine minutes from Alexanderplatz, the very heart of Berlin, and located near Europe's largest urban nature reserve and a sports hot spot.
Conceived by visionary developer Moritz Gruppe and designed by internationally acclaimed architects, LAVA, THE:SQUARE3 theme is Life, Nature, Sport.
A multifunctional urban plan includes all the essentials for a high-quality and healthy urban existence for locals, workers and visitors, successfully answering the demands of a contemporary, quality lifestyle.
Green characterises three blocks containing apartments, retail space, a kindergarten and social services. Residents will enjoy diagonally shaped spaces, green roof-scapes with cascading balconies, integrated garden courtyards, and overlook playing fields. Hanging plant-filled facades are articulated according to building orientation, offering an enhanced quality of living.
Rising above a sport 'podium' are three towers of varying heights with Olympic themed metallic facades of gold, silver and bronze. Each volume is tapered to maximise sunlight, views and ventilation. Offices for sports companies and clubs, apartments, a medical and research centre, sports education facilities, a sports hotel and a sports focused shopping mall at ground level, encircle a green piazza.
The innovative design solution maximises the spatial experience whilst minimising the use of energy and resources. "Re-thinking a traditional city block with different scales and typologies demanded a new approach," commented Tobias Wallisser, director of LAVA. "The building ensembles balance contemporary requirements with respect for the historic urban context. LAVA's design integrates nature and future technologies - geometries in nature create both efficiency and beauty whilst future technologies enhance comfort."
Sustainability is embedded in the project. Mixed use ensures social sustainability. Building shapes maximise daylight, reducing the need for artificial light and energy use. Facades integrate photo-voltaics as a means of regenerative energy production. Naturally ventilated spaces minimise mechanical ventilation. Rainwater is collected and reused.
The project is located in Alt-Hohenschönhausen, an area once known for its Stasi memorial and East German prefab apartments, and now ripe for revitalisation. Its proximity to the city centre, its location near several beautiful lakes and a large nature reserve, and its leisure and sporting facilities make it unique.