(BDT_11_021) Cornstetten House, Senior Residence

Description

The Cronstetten House, designed by Frick.Reichert Architekten, was completed in 2006 and is conceived especially for the 60 plus generation. The name of the building derives from that of the client and operator, a protestant charitable foundation that has existed in Frankfurt am Main since 1753. The site lies directly alongside a harbour separated from the River Main by a pier and is part of a larger project to redevelop the derelict site of Frankfurt’s former trading port from the 19th century into a modern urban quarter with offices, apartments, shops and restaurants.

The building extends in an east-west direction between the Ufer-Promenaden-Weg along the banks of the harbour basin and the Speicherstraße behind. The building picks up the height of the urban surroundings and with its 7 to 8-storey-high section along the Speicherstraße forms a clearly defined wall to the “Central Square” on the west side. Towards the harbour basin, the building steps downwards, in the process separating out into a series of individual ‘houses’ along the harbour promenade. The boundary to the neighbours on the east is formed by a special “filler building” that forms a definite junction between the two. With its set-back façade and continuous balconies it differentiates itself from the remainder of the complex, emphasising its independence.

The U-shaped floor plan of the building is divided into five sections (A – E), each with their own access stair and lift. This forms a smaller-scale structure which makes it possible to design a more flexible arrangement of different apartment types. From a common entrance on the Speicherstraße on the north side, residents and visitors pass through a lobby into the central entrance hall where they are greeted by a concierge service. From here one can reach the apartments in section C. The entrance hall adjoins an open arcade that runs around the perimeter of the interior courtyard garden. In front of this is a small square that opens southwards via a gate onto the harbour promenade. The arcade leads to four further staircases which provide access to the apartments in sections, A, B, D and E. Each of the staircases is naturally lit and is equipped with a lift so that residents with walking aids or in wheelchairs can easily reach the apartments on the upper storeys.

The ground floor, which is acts as a plinth on which the building sits, contains a variety of semi-public functions. All the public-facing surfaces on the ground floor are clad in a light-coloured natural stone made of Thuringian travertine, while in the arcade the travertine facing is interspersed with naturally split stone segments. Alongside the entrance hall and the concierge lie the director’s offices and administration, a care station and other communal amenities such as a room for events, an art room, a gym with changing rooms and a club room. The latter face onto the arcaded courtyard as the “centre” of the building. It serves as a meeting point and hub of the complex, promoting social contact, conversation and communication between the residents. The courtyard garden can be crossed and is designed to be an attractive place to spend time. The public facilities such as restaurant, shops and other rooms for supplementary services are by contrast oriented towards the main square at the west end of the complex.

The lower ground floor contains, alongside various ancillary spaces, an underground car park with space for 51 vehicles, 28 of them using a stacked double parker system. Colour coded entrances identify the different staircases from the car park, helping both residents and staff to find their way.

The upper storeys (first to seventh floor) contain a total of 75 two, three and four room apartments ranging from 70 to 145 m² in size. All apartments are arranged front-to-back and open onto the harbour on one side and the interior courtyard on the other. High ceilings, 2.65 m on most storeys, 3.25 m on the 7th floor, lend the apartments a spacious feeling. All apartments are barrier-free and have at least one balcony or a terrace. The living areas are generously glazed affording a good view even when seated.

The design of a residential building for older people necessitates a sensitivity to proportion, scale and materials as these factors can strongly influence the living environment of older people and their sense of well-being. This principle informs the choice of materials and colours inside and outside as well as the proportions of the façades. The distinctive appearance of the Cronstetten House makes it readily recognisable and engenders a sense of identification among the residents. The cantilevered eaves also contribute to the building’s distinctive appearance, strongly delineating the edges of the different sections of the building and how they relate to the main body of the building. Special attention was given to the design of the details: eschewing fashionable variety, the choice and demarcation of materials are used to denote certain purposes and underline a sense of quality.