Precast concrete façade reinterprets Berlin‘s
architectural tradition

The architecture of the „Prager Karree“ building complex in Berlin‘s Stadthafenquartier interprets the architectural tradition of the two-story base area in a contemporary fashion. The slender façade panels consisting of cast stone made on the basis of Dyckerhoff Weiss cement provide the building designed by Max Dudler with a modern sense of lightness and elegance.

The façade of the building complex, primarily conceived for residential use, was realized by GBJ Geithner Betonmanufaktur Joachimsthal. The individual elements are only 40 mm thick with a size of 0.8 up to approx. 6 m². They were made from high-performance white concrete of compressive strength class C60/75. The concrete was colored in sandstone and anthracite shades, the surface is finely sandblasted.

Façade made of precast concrete elements appears modern and slender

Historically, the two-story base area, which is very popular in Berlin, was usually designed with natural stone façades and quite filigree in some cases. The precast concrete elements in a slender design used for the new „Prager Karree“ building complex provide the robust concrete, thus precisely suitable for base areas, with a particular lightness and filigree nature. Projections and recesses create the vivid appearance desired.

The curtain wall panels are furnished with a glass-fiber reinforcement of Solidian. The newly developed Halfen FPA SL 30 façade panel anchors were selected for fastening. This system with a German national technical approval allows anchoring of the large-sized, slender precast concrete elements with a thickness of 30 mm or more in compliance with regulations.

The „Stadthafenquartier“ is part of the so-called Europacity district, a completely newly built urban quarter north of Berlin‘s central station, that is one of German‘s largest construction sites at present. In line with the current paradigm of urban development, the aim is a mixed use of living, working, shopping and culture.

The „Prager Karree“ was completed in 2019, constructor is Ditting Bau and Qantum Immobilien AG.