Birk Heilmeyer und Frenzel Architekten

Description

Urban infrastructure projects must combine maximum functionality with long-term cost effectiveness while setting a benchmark for building culture and the consistent use of renewable materials. The waste management site in Stuttgart Wangen exemplifies this ambition through a clear spatial concept and a highly sustainable construction strategy. The site is organised into two main components. The operations building runs along Gingener Strasse and simultaneously functions as a structural sound barrier towards the depot. It accommodates the canteen on the ground floor, and administration, archives and uniform storage on the upper levels, while changing rooms, washrooms as well as storage and technical areas are located in the basement. Perpendicular to the main access road, the vehicle canopy forms the second key element of the ensemble. The canopy spans the entire vehicle fleet, including workshops, container storage and a washing facility. Parking is organised in a particularly space-efficient system, with three vehicles arranged in a row while remaining open areas are reserved for flexible storage use. Sustainability and environmental quality were decisive design criteria for both construction and operation. The vehicle canopy is conceived as a robust hybrid structure with reinforced concrete columns and glulam beams, while all external walls are made of highly insulated timber panels. A 3,000-square-metre, extensively greened roof, equipped with bifacial photovoltaic modules, generates approx. 292,000 kWh/year of climate-neutral electricity.