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Article from issue 5/1998 »Systems Building«

Housing and Commercial Block in Rathenow

Drafts
Exploded diagram (not to scale)
Horizontal section through corner 1:10
Plan and sections of containers 1:100
Plans: gallery level/attic storey/ground floor, Cross-section 1:400
Vertical section 1:10

This roughly 100-year-old building is located in an area of mixed housing and commercial uses. The various sheds and garages that had been inserted in the courtyard in the course of time and that were in a dilapidated condition were removed, and the space was landscaped, creating a garden and play area for the residents of the front block. The building was gutted down to the load-bearing elements and the bracing staircase walls. The existing building underwent a conventional rehabilitation, while a prefabricated concept was developed for the extension. The load-bearing structure of the extension consists of a precast concrete skeleton frame designed to support 12 prefabricated housing containers. These were assembled complete with sanitary and other services in a works 500 km from Rathenow. The cells were, therefore, executed in sizes that could be transported by road on a normal lorry. On site, the containers were hoisted into position by crane and “plugged into” the service systems. The containers were constructed of common industrial materials such as insulated wall and roof panels and corrugated aluminium sheeting. The base slabs were in reinforced concrete for reasons of fire protection.