Muck Petzet Architekten
Lausitztower
Description
By 2015 Hoyerswerda will have shrunk from its original 70 000 to approximately 30 000 inhabitants. In recent years, the 11-storey buildings forming the centre of Hoyerswerda, which had been badly affected by low occupancy, have been largely dismantled and a large wasteland has emerged in the centre of Neustadt. The centre is in danger of being lost. In our – now completed – competition project from 2003 we proposed the conservation of a remaining housing block and even elevating it. To restrengthen the disappearing core a landmark was to be created in the south corner of the centre. The building was completely reorganised and now contains business units and high quality apartments. On the elevated roof – now the highest point in Hoyerswerda – we developed a viewing terrace for the public and a roof terrace for the residents. The building’s plant covered façade resembles a vertical park, in this way establishing a relationship with the precious surrounding trees and make a feature of the surrounding demolition sites which are now covered by green lawns. Additionally, the façade is to be emblematic of a new overall concept for the city of Hoyerswerda: modern / town / landscape.