GSW - Tower Block in Berlin

The original tower, dating from 1961, has now been supplemented by a complex of new buildings: a concave high-rise slab with colourful sunscreen elements; an oval structure; and two linear blocks that follow the street lines and adopt the eaves heights of the existing urban fabric. The use of a low-energy concept for a high-rise building is new in Berlin. Narrow plan forms and a two-layer glazed facade, which forms a thermal and acoustic buffer, allow air conditioning to be omitted in the curved tower and facilitate a maximum exploitation of daylight. As a result, energy savings of up to 40 per cent are possible. Fresh air enters via the east face, while vitiated air is drawn through the building to the western convection facade and emitted at roof level. An aerodynamic element on the roof supports the stack effectin the facade space and provides additional uplift.