Mixed-use project, Grünewald district

When economy and ecology come together

In its ground-floor level, the hotel will house cafés, restaurants, small shops and services. An external public square will form the extension to these spaces. With its inviting aspect and the way it opens out towards the district, it will be the connecting element between the various functions of the site. The Kirchberg Fund aims to make it into a place for social exchange, in an atmosphere favouring creative expression.

Even in the project development phase, the Kirchberg Fund has broken away from the well-trodden path: it has assembled a multidisciplinary team involving not only construction professionals (architects, landscape architects, engineers), but also experts from various other fields, residents in the district and the future users of the complex. In this process of co-creation, the Kirchberg Fund has drawn on the competences of William McDonough, co-founder of the “cradle to cradle” (C2C) philosophy. The American architect argues for an “eco-effectiveness” that no longer puts economic growth and the environment in opposition to one another. Rather than reducing consumption or delaying its devastating effect on the environment, McDonough suggests adopting a system that imitates the balance in natural ecosystems and allows materials to be regenerated infinitely, without loss of quality throughout their multiple life-cycles. This approach enables buildings to be created which have a positive impact on the economy (by creating added value), on the social realm (by improving personal well-being) and on the environment (by respecting biodiversity).