Schuppen Eins, Bremen, D
The “Schuppen Eins” in Bremen has retained its very own charm despite renovation and renovation measures. The former general cargo handling shed at Bremen’s Europahafen skilfully builds a bridge between yesterday and today with its unusual usage concept and architecture based on the original. It was built in 1959 and – after it could no longer be used as a storage area between the sea route and the railway tracks – was occupied for years with temporary solutions.
Today, the cultural monument houses everything to do with classic cars. On its ground floor, the old cars are presented, restored, maintained, stored and sold in a historical exhibition. Schuppen Eins also offers special lofts and office space for car enthusiasts. A spacious elevator transports the residents – including their cars – to the upper level. This somewhat different usage concept has been effectively implemented spatially by WESTPHAL ARCHITEKTEN BDA from Bremen.
Project data
Architect
Westphal Architekten BDA, Bremen, DE
Client
KJH Verwaltungs GmbH & Co.KG, Klaus J. Hornung, Daniel Hornung, Bremen/DE
Products
usedFaçade glass: GEWE-therm® sun with warm edge
Balustrades in the gallery levels of the maisonette lofts: GEWE-safe® laminated safety glass
Glass supplier
Schollglas Sachsen GmbH, Isernhagen
Impressive dimensions
The project is particularly impressive with its dimensions. Schuppen Eins stretches over 400 meters along the harbor basin, is 50 meters deep and has a usable area of over 25,000 square meters. The two-storey, linear building is divided into two load-bearing structures: on the ground floor, a reinforced concrete structure spanning a huge, nine-metre-high hall. On the roof of the hall sits a steel truss construction infilled with tiles. The architects skilfully pick up on this division of the supporting structure in the use and development of the building.
On both levels, there is an access axis in the middle of the building. On the ground floor, it is designed as a twelve-metre-wide boulevard from which classic car workshops, dealers and suppliers, a café, a restaurant, shops and the historic automobile exhibition “Mobileum” can be accessed. On the upper floor, the access axis is designed as an incision in the building volume and serves as a “street” via which the 20 maisonette apartments with a view of the Weser, a classic car garage and 6,000 square meters of office space can be accessed directly.
Modernization without impairing the existing public image
The façades of the utility units on the upper floor will be preserved on the outside as a reinforced concrete skeleton infilled with bricks. On the inward-facing sides, however, the surface clearly stands out from the original: rear-ventilated facades made of anthracite-coloured fibre cement panels mark the new.
Glass played an essential role in the renovation of Schuppen Eins. Inserted all around the façades, it ensures thermal separation from the outside space. At the same time, the generous window areas allow daylight to reach the entire depth of the building. Particularly characteristic of Schuppen Ein, however, is that the change of material strikingly emphasizes the historical original. Thanks to the wide range of products from SCHOLLGLAS, it was possible to react precisely to the respective installation situation in Shed One – depending on the requirements and function. This not only preserves the breathtaking view of the Weser and the harbour. Likewise, the energy improvements that are so important for a renovation project are achieved, with optimal sun and heat protection.
Significant increase in the insulating effect
SCHOLLGLAS equipped all façades and thus an area of 2,450 square metres with GEWE-therm® sun glass. Thermal bridges between the glass and the frame are minimised by its special equipment with a “warm edge” – a hybrid plastic-based system that replaces conventional edge seals. This significantly increases the insulating effect of the glass. The fact that the glazing means greater comfort near the window thanks to reduced air circulation also contributes to the fact that the historic building has a pleasant indoor climate. Higher surface temperatures on the inner edge of the glass and thus less condensation in humid room air maintain the quality of the windows in the long term.
Highest quality
The glazing for the parapets of the gallery levels in the maisonette apartments also meets the highest quality criteria. Here, GEWE-safe® laminated safety glass ensures maximum safety. To ensure that the glass can withstand even high forces, two float glass, ESG or TVG panes are bonded together by means of a viscoelastic, resistant special film at GEWE-safe®. If damaged, the glass splinters stick to the film and the pane retains a high residual load-bearing capacity. The lenses are extremely shatterproof. Balcony doors, railings, fencing, floor-to-ceiling windows and windows with underlights are just some of the possible applications.
After its eventful history, Schuppen Eins today combines modern passions and high construction quality: This means that it will probably remain a very special architectural one-of-a-kind in the future.
