Transformations in Architecture

Site Specific: Warehouse F, Lübeck

Modersohn & Freiesleben Architekten - Lübeck, Germany, 2019 - Ongoing

MFA Warehouse F is part of a redevelopment project in collaboration with the Harbour Planning Initiative (PIH), where the former port buildings of the Hanseatic city of Lübeck - themselves built on the historic city walls - will be transformed into a modern, mixed-use neighbourhood. As part of the diverse new programmatic concept for the port, the six existing warehouses will be renovated and a number of new buildings will be added.

Warehouse F is a listed building, with a reinforced concrete skeleton structure, a loading ramp on both sides and a brick masonry facade. Built during WWII and completed in 1946, the warehouse partially has a basement and is planned as cooperative building venture with a mixed programme.

Purely residential units are planned alongside mixed-use workshop and studio apartments, suitable for commercial and educational use.

Underneath the elevated central section of the continuous strip windows a second storey will be introduced into the building. The 3000m2 surface area will be divided into 22 apartments, each between 70 and 220m2, four mixed-use workshop apartments and a centre for creative industry. The basement will be redeveloped into a bike storage room with workshop and communal storage spaces for residents and the surrounding buildings.

The timber sliding doors will be renovated and reconfigured for greater transparency. Timber facade elements will be introduced in place of the former openings. In the commercial areas, these new timber elements will be flush with the facade, in the residential dwellings they are set back to form loggias dividing the private living areas from the public ramp. Additional windows will be added in the space between the sliding doors. The badly damaged gables will be restored.

Section through apartment space showing new mezzanine, stair and insulation strategy..

Sequential illustration showing demolition, refurbishment and interventions.

Existing warehouse shutters (refurbished)

NOTES

Many thanks to Prof. Antje Freiesleben, Willi Neuer and Anna Fawdry of Modersohn & Freiesleben Architekten for their help in compiling this post.

Published on 12th February 2021.