Elegance and dynamism from the outside in
When leaving Duisburg's main train station in the direction of the city centre, travelers are greeted by a spacious square and a strictly gridded, anthracite-colored solitaire, the ends of which protrude spectacularly in steps and whose practicality of the facade continues into the most intimate interior rooms with high-quality TECE equipment. In 2020, Mercator One was awarded the BDA Rechter Niederrhein architecture prize even before it was completed.
Trend-setting building, restrained façade
The Portsmouth Square in front of the station building did not exist 15 years ago. Since the end of the 1950s, a trench for the city motorway separated the station and the city centre. When it was covered over in 2010, a spacious area was created, and a competition was held in 2017 to find a use for it. Hadi Teherani Architects won the competition with their design for a seven-storey block, the front sides of which are cut at an angle and rotate storey by storey around the two building peaks. Two fan-like over-hangings increase the floor area. "Without the over-hangings, the building would not have been economical, despite the increased costs for the elaborate construction," explains Bernd Muley, the architect responsible for the project.
The fanning out was later transferred more subtly to the long sides as well. The building is supported by a reinforced concrete skeleton, the ceilings span over six metres from the bracing cores to the façade columns.
The façade is clearly structured and restrained. The storey-high window openings consist of large fixed glazing and a narrow opening casement. The objectivity of the façade continues into the most intimate interior spaces with the TECE flush plates. Flatly constructed and equipped with an exquisite push-button mechanism, it remains distinguished and modern even in the sanitary rooms.
High-quality finishing standard for the building technology
The high standard of the building services - including, for example, one window per façade bay that can be opened and a hybrid sail on the ceiling for mechanical ventilation - runs through the entire basic construction right up to the fitting of the wet cores with toilet flush plates from TECE. These - according to project manager Muley - convinced the client with their classic, reduced design and their proven durability. The TECEsquare flush plates used impress with a special push-button feel and a high-quality, robust stainless steel surface. TECEfilo flush plates with electronic activation are used for the urinal modules. Here too, the linear, flat design with the harmoniously rounded edges and the stainless steel surface characterise the high-quality look - matching the overall aesthetic concept of the Mercator One.
Fotos: © Jörg Hempel Fotografie
