Precedent: Stadthaus Location: Ulm Germany/ architect: Richard Meier

 

S o c i a l   A r c h i t e c t u r e

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Introduction:

The reason why I choose to study as a precedent is that despite somewhat alienated form of the building, Meier’s interplay of the building and the square (Munsterplatz) turned out to be very successful after all.

Local planners and locals were against Meier design postulating it as an invader at first, but eventually they were convinced by Meier’s explanation of architectural dimension by the Cathedral.

 

 

Views showing integration with existing context of the site

 

Ulm Cathedral, the tallest gothic cathedral spire in the world, is main dominant architecture in the pedestrian square. Meier’s design approach was responding to the site’s historic context. He came up with a careful architectural balance between substance and transparency by slicing in cutaways in the concrete structure and by expansive glazing on each floor.

 

The building also corresponds to the neighbor buildings by its tripartite glazed roofs: gale roofs. Meier also tried to reflect local building traditions by white stucco finishing.

 

Public space of the square extends into the building, so that the ground floor of the building becomes part of the square. The project isn’t entirely interconnected with the square, but it gives an idea how building can be tied into the square becoming more public in nature.

 

 

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