The revitalized exterior of Calwer Passage, designed by Christoph Ingenhoven, featuring modern architectural elements and vibrant public spaces.
The revitalized exterior of Calwer Passage, designed by Christoph Ingenhoven, featuring modern architectural elements and vibrant public spaces.
PROJECTS / CALWER PASSAGE
Greening the City
Located at the heart of Stuttgart, the Calwer Passage establishes a vibrant oasis in Stuttgart's high-density city center. Its distinctive ambiance and comfort are appealing to users while addressing contemporary challenges. Through the green façade, a sophisticated fusion of materials, engineering, and design, Ingenhoven introduces a visionary concept. Calwer Passage, a listed shopping arcade from 1978 and the adjacent new mixed-use building have undergone a remarkable green transformation. This has significantly improved the microclimate both inside and around the structure. The facade effectively mitigating harmful emissions and builds a space for biodiversity, fostering various plant species and welcoming a diverse array of life forms. Throughout the year, the lush vegetation changes with the seasons, reflecting this natural rhythm on the building's exterior. In its entirety, this green not only bestows aesthetic beauty but also champions environmental resilience and well-being.
The project faced requierments due to the existing structure and the historically protected glass vault within the shopping passage. Situated along a heavily trafficked road in a bustling downtown area, it necessitated solutions for emissions, traffic, and environmental challenges, alongside the enhancement of overall quality of life. Ingehoven's responsibility was to transform the building through an exceptional facade. The outcome was a green facade that transcended aesthetics, actively addressing emissions and providing added value for residents, pedestrians, and the community. It required intelligent maintenance solutions and a meticulous plant selection to ensure durability and biodiversity. Collaboration with experts across various disciplines was instrumental in its success as green facade and roof planning are based on assessments of site conditions and the selection of suitable plants.
The integration of greenery on façades and rooftops creates a high-quality urban environment with a natural and healthful climate. A total of 2,000 plant containers, spanning 1,700 linear meters, are incorporated into the green envelope adjacent to the post-and-beam façade. Steel cables and nets, installed between floor levels, serve as supports for climbing plants: a diverse array, with some cascading from containers and others growing upwards. This planting scheme is carefully designed in both horizontal and vertical dimensions, featuring varying densities. Plants are strategically spaced to moderate in front of office windows, ensuring optimal light penetration, while becoming more dense in front of stairwells.
A prominent highlight of the project is the strategic placement of 82 large trees throughout and surrounding the building. Furthermore, the facades of the residential and commercial sections feature lush arrays of climbing and hanging plants, meticulously integrated into a harmonious system. Atop the building, a miniature mixed forest on the seventh floor forms a distinctive silhouette visible from a distance. Just below, an expansive landscaped area includes shrubs, terraces, and herb meadows, creating a serene environment ideal for relaxation and reflection. The ground-level courtyard completes the design with garden beds and small trees.
