A modern residential building with several storeys and balconies, surrounded by an inner courtyard.

Building construction

New jewel in old town on the Baltic coast

100%

Completed

Germany

Castle Quarter Kiel

Text Daniel Wriesnik

PORR was the main contractor for LEED certified residential complex comprising 213 flats in six sections, in the heart of Kiel’s old town.

The project’s city centre location made the construction site logistics particularly challenging. Vibrations had to be essentially avoided and noisy construction activities were subject to restrictions.

Project data

Employer

NGEG Objekt Schlossquartier GmbH & Co. KG
Contractor

PORR Deutschland GmbH
Architect

Schnittger Architekten + Partner und bbp : architekten bda
Order type

Generalunternehmer
Project type

Building construction . Residential building
Project scope

Construction of a residential complex including underground parking and execution planning to project phase 5
Order volume

40 million euros
Construction start

01/2016
Construction end

02/2019

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Overview

On 18 December 2015, NGEG Objekt Schlossquartier GmbH & Co KG named PORR Deutschland GmbH as the main contractor for the construction of the “Schlossquartier Kiel”. The project comprises a residential complex numbering 130 owner-occupied flats, 83 rental flats, seven commercial spaces on the ground floor and an underground car park for 184 vehicles.

Various PORR AG departments were involved in the project: PORR Design & Engineering was responsible for planning and cost estimation, while the Hamburg branch of PORR Deutschland GmbH worked with Vienna’s Major Projects Building Construction department on the construction.

A modern residential and commercial building with several storeys and balconies under a partly cloudy sky. — Three derelict buildings were demolished to make room for the new Schlossquartier Kiel. Source: PORR/Arne Biederbeck

Harmonious architecture

The exclusive location in the heart of Kiel’s old town led to demanding architectural standards for the project. Architects Schnittger Architekten + Partner and bbp : architekten bda rose to the challenge splendidly, designing a timeless residential ensemble that blends perfectly into its historic town setting. The Schlossquartier’s facade is clad with clinker masonry bricks, using different brick and joint colours for each construction section. The clinker bricks were assembled entirely by hand and are highly resistant to winds and driving rain. The building entrances, balconies and bay windows have a partial sheet-metal facade, which sets the Kiel Schlossquartier apart from the buildings around it.

A modern residential building with several storeys that stands on a paved square. — The Schlossquartier Kiel with its clinker brick facade blends harmoniously into the historic town setting. Source: PORR/Arne Biederbeck

The daily TV broadcasts at the NDR branch next door ruled out noisy construction activities at certain times.

Daniel Wriesnik

Project manager, PORR Bau GmbH

Challenging logistics

In addition to the architecture, the construction site logistics were also confronted with some challenges due to the inner-city location. PORR’s experts, sandwiched between the glorious old St. Nikolai church, the Schleswig-Holstein headquarters for North German Radio (Norddeutschen Rundfunk, NDR) and the “Schloss”, or castle, that gives the Schlossquartier its name, found themselves facing various conundrums: the church, almost 800 years old, could not be subjected to any vibrations, the daily TV broadcasts at NDR ruled out noisy construction activities at certain times, and regular events in the castle also had to be taken into account

A modern residential and commercial building on an urban square with parked cars. — The exclusive central location presented various challenges, particularly for construction site logistics. Source: PORR/Arne Biederbeck

Before the ‘Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design’ certification can be awarded, each individual building is subjected to its own inspection cycle.

Daniel Wriesnik

Project manager, PORR Bau GmbH

Superb living conditions

The apartments in Schlossquartier Kiel have an air extraction system and external air inlets in the facade. Exhaust air is extracted by central extraction fans on the roofs of the various buildings and vented over the rooftops. The external air inlets noiselessly supply fresh air to the apartments. This type of home ventilation guarantees a pleasant indoor climate at all times, without having to open any windows. All the apartments also have balconies, loggias or terraces, a further boost to the excellent living conditions.

The Schlossquartier is one of the very few residential buildings in Germany to boast a Gold LEED certificate. Before the “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design” certification can be awarded, each individual building is subjected to its own inspection cycle. It’s not just about the building envelope criteria: the finishes and installations in the flats are also inspected.

A special catalogue of fittings was prepared in advance, which the future flat owners could use to plan their homes individually.

Summary

PORR has created a real jewel in Kiel’s old town. The Schlossquartier blends harmoniously into the historic town centre while at the same time adding a modern touch. The sought-after LEED certification guarantees that the complex has a high ecological quality, while a modern ventilation system ensures a pleasant internal climate and optimum living conditions.