Haus 2+ in Germany

Urban infill for a mixed use cultural building

Haus 2+ in Germany

Urban infill for a mixed use cultural building

  • Awards Bronze 2023 Europe

A mixed-used building extension for a cooperatively organized cultural complex that expands the architectural language of prefabricated timber structures beyond their typical angularity while maximizing energy efficiency.

By Moojin Park, Benjamin Scheerbarth - Office ParkScheerbarth, Berlin, Germany

On the eastern embankment of Berlin’s central river Spree sits Holzmarkt 25, a cooperatively organized cultural complex and outdoor public space. 300 years ago, the site served as a hub for a timber market (from which the name Holzmarkt is derived), and then a gasworks, landfill, wasteland, and techno-club before taking on its current function as a test laboratory for user-driven urban development that welcomes half a million visitors annually. The buzzing creative village serves tourists and locals alike with a naturalized riverfront and ample cultural and gastronomic attractions that starkly contrast with the investment-driven developments surrounding it. Haus 2+ is a mixed-use building extension at the entrance to Holzmarkt 25. Six units offer space for local businesses: the two ground floor units host food production (a bakery and ice creamery), and the upper units are workplaces for photographers, artists, and therapists, providing an additional 200 square meters of floor area.

Haus 2+

Project authors

  • Moojin Park

    Office ParkScheerbarth

    Germany

  • Benjamin Scheerbarth

    Office ParkScheerbarth

    Germany

Haus 2+ in Germany

Haus2+ (red) as an urban infill at Holzmarkt 25. Photo: Jan Bitter.

The primary building material is timber: timber-frame walls from spruce and pine, slab elements from spruce, façade cladding from larch, window frames from pine, and one column from beech. All wood is European-sourced and FSC-certified. Alongside the structure, materials for all building elements are chosen for their low emission intensity, recyclability, and occupant well-being. The curved ground floor recess invites visitors in, and once inside, the half-barrel roof shields traffic noise – while drawing in sunlight and allowing for natural passive stack ventilation. Attached to an external staircase and an existing basement, the project exhibits no additional soil sealing and an excellent life cycle performance. Rather than accepting the often-angular shapes of prefabricated timber structures, Haus 2+ expands the architectural language of timber frame construction.

Project status: Completed (constructed September 2022 to August 2023).

The jury was impressed by this infill design project, which extends an existing fabric and thoughtfully optimizes and creates a new relation with the surrounding urban space. Holcim Awards 2023 Jury for Europe

Holcim Awards 2023 prize announcement - Haus 2+

Presenting the Holcim Awards 2023 Bronze winner for Europe - Haus 2+.

Project authors

  • Benjamin Scheerbarth

    Urban Planner, Office ParkScheerbarth

    Germany

  • Moojin Park

    Architect, Office ParkScheerbarth

    Germany

Jury appraisal

The jury was particularly impressed by this infill design project, which extends an existing fabric and thoughtfully optimizes and creates a new relation with the surrounding urban space and the riverfront. The mix-use building, with workshop and local business spaces, garnered high praise for its versatility and community-oriented design. The project’s bottom-up approach embeds a powerful message of protest against financially-driven real estate logic and interests. The jury particularly admired the young team’s bold design choices, which brought fresh perspectives and innovation, recognizing its inclusive nature and the positive impact it has on the community’s engagement. 

Additionally, the project’s commitment to low-carbon material adoption and smart construction systems, enabling rapid on-site assembly and ease of disassembly for reuse, resonated with the jury’s environmental sustainability principles. From an architectural perspective, the project’s harmonious integration with the colorful and improvised appearance of the district was highly appreciated, contributing to a new aesthetic quality that enhances the area’s cultural identity.

Haus 2+ in Germany

Local prefabrication of timber-frame walls.

Project updates