Stuttgart, Germany
1992-1997

The new headquarters building for the State Savings Bank “Landesgirokasse” is located to the west of the city center, on the crest of the “Bollwerk”, the highest point in the city and the site of Stuttgart’s  Medieval fortifications. The building serves as a workplace for more than one thousand financial service employees.

Careful handling of the building’s massing at street level and the humanizing rhythms and colors of its facades help to avoid the appearance of a typical mono structure. Unexpected variations in the building’s appearance occur as the facades respond to changing light and atmospheric conditions.

Transparent surfaces and views through the building help to dematerialize its mass and encourage a more complex experiential relationship with the site. The paved surfaces along the Bollwerk follow the topography of the site, contributing to the creation of an urban landscape.

The perimeter of the building forms a large, central courtyard, part of which is enclosed by a sloping glass roof. The portion of the hall which lies beneath the glass roof is used for exhibitions, promotions and other large-scale events. This space is complemented along its perimeter by free elements of public program such as cafes, shops and cinemas.

A large pool of water penetrates the hall, blurring the boundary between interior and exterior and reflecting sunlight into the courtyard and across the underside of the building’s floorplates. The role of the courtyard as a city “room” is reinforced by artwork and special lighting.

Credits

Behnisch Architekten