Issue 5.2022

Even before the most recent German parliament elec­tions, it was clear that a lot more space was needed due to the many overhang seats resulting from the country’s proportional representation system. But where could all the new delegates and their staff go? There was little time to erect a new building and ambitious efficiency and sustainability targets to meet. The answer is Luisenblock, a seven-story building accommodating 400 delegates in the nation’s capital of Berlin. Thanks to its modular design, planning and construction took only two years. Designed by Sauerbruch Hutton, the flagship office building opened its doors in December 2021. Not only did it stay within its 70 million euro budget, its sustainability concept includes a “woodcycle” component: the 2,500 m³ of wood used for construction will be offset by planting an equivalent amount of new trees. The building on Berlin’s Spree River is one of many compelling modular construction examples presented in our May issue. We document outstanding examples worldwide with their diversity of materials, structural details, and building typologies. Happy reading! Sandra Hofmeister