Conversion of the textile factory in Dannenberg by Volker Staab

Berlin architect Volker Staab has completed the renovation of a medieval ensemble of half-timbered buildings in the Lower Saxon town of Dannenberg, which he contrasted with new red buildings. The complex is located in the center of the town and serves as the headquarters for the textile company Nya Nordiska, which was expanded in 1997 with two additional structures. Now, six other buildings (4000 m²) have been added by Volker Staab, who won the invited competition in 2008 against Grüntuch Ernst, Jürgen Mayer H., and Peter P. Schweger with his project. In the end, the client chose Staab's design because of “the clear functional division and harmonious integration into the city's silhouette”, which the architect managed to achieve within the tight deadline of one year and “without exceeding the budget or compromising on precise detailed solutions.” The new buildings are remarkable in several ways. Staab managed to connect the entire complex through the six new structures. In the middle, a grassy atrium was created, designed by Berlin landscape architects Levin Monsigny. The large multi-story buildings are oriented towards the surrounding structures. The slanted roofs, as well as the facades, are clad in dark red ribbed panels made of anodized aluminum, resembling pleated fabric. The irregular roofscape relates to the gables of the surrounding half-timbered houses. The shed roofs, together with variously sized windows and asymmetrical ceilings, provide a large amount of natural light and vibrant indoor spaces, where the design teams of the textile company have set up their studios.