Wohnen an der Werderstrasse

This residential development, planned by Hild und K Architekten, is located on Nuremberg’s Werderstrasse, in a district distinctly shaped by the Gruenderzeit era. The house that had previously occupied this site was from that epoch, but could not be preserved as it was not energy efficient and had substantial structural defects. Yet to at least keep its memory alive, Andreas Hild, Dionys Ottl and Matthias Haber decided to integrate fragments of its historical facade as spolia into the parapets of the new loggias. These sandstone elements, some of which are ornately decorated, now lead a new life. An architectural context is created to the characteristic flat bay windows of Nuremberg’s old town, just a stone throw away. This project could consequently also be viewed as a contribution to the growing debate on “urban mining” within the architectural scene. Hild und K understand the built city as a trove not only of building materials but also of symbols. Its substance forms an inextricable amalgam of material and iconographic resources. “Urban mining”, therefore, cannot persist as a mere re-utilisation of certain materials, but demands conscious and sensitive handling of the existing symbolic world and the memories it holds.

For the development to integrate beyond its street facades harmoniously into the evolved urban context, it was decisive not to disrupt the granularity of the district as a whole. This became a challenge as during the construction period, two previously separate plots were merged. The solution was to construct three buildings of varying height, situated one behind the other and each connected to the other with green areas. A uniform colouring concept and facade design create optical coherence and include small plaster reliefs and the ornamented fall protection railings, which shape the face of the construction.

A total of 35 living units range from a compact 1-roomed studio apartment to a spacious 4-bedroomed flat. The development is connected to the district network of Nuremberg City providing it with environment-friendly heating.