We are delighted that our competition entry for the design of a multifunctional reception building for Stolzenfels Castle in the Middle Rhine Valley has been recognized.
We proposed a simple and yet expressive lightweight construction to be built on top of the existing parking garage. It consists of six half-barrels mounted on external supports, which open up towards the Rhine and the palace park. This structure leads to an unmistakable silhouette that stands out from the local buildings and is read in the context of the romantic castle grounds, the church and the architecture of the landscape park.
Thanks to their apex height, the spatially connected aisles of the building are just as suitable for storing plants in winter as they are for a variety of uses in the summer season. The southern aisle is designed as a weather-protected open front area that can be used regardless of the building's operation. From there, you enter the glazed part of the reception building with two narrower aisles for a small café with information counter and an adjoining room. The southern aisle is designed as an open front area that can be used independently of the building's operation. Using mobile cabinet elements that can be coupled and locked between the barrel vaults, the room areas can be subdivided and arranged for the desired use.
The chosen Zollinger construction is made up of small, identical wooden elements. The prefabricated elements are inexpensive, easy to transport and dismantle. The simple components form a vaulted structure that is supported on edge supports and spans the space effortlessly due to its low weight.
In order to harmonize the open parking lot façade of the existing building with the lightweight structure, it is clad with translucent perforated metal panels whose perforations overlay the heaviness of the existing building.
