Wankdorfcity 3, Bern

PERMANENT PLaces, flexible spaces

A new urban district is being built north of the Bern Wankdorf S-Bahn station. The area, which is used commercially today, is to be redesigned into a district module that will make the entire Wankdorfcity a lively and attractive residential and working area. Based on the urban project by Rolf Mühlethaler Architects, additional building, architecture and utilization concepts were developed in the competition phase.

The stacked city is characterized primarily by the socio-spatial stratification and only secondarily by the constructive and creative stacking. In addition to structural density, there also needs to be utilization and landscape density. A uniform cross-construction grid and a clear sectional solution form the robust and resilient basic structure, which offers plenty of scope for future developments and changes. The city terrace at 30 meters is one of the central elements of the stacked city and takes on a variety of functions. In addition to static and spatial functions, it connects the buildings with each other and, as a communal outdoor space, enables "ground-level" living in the countryside. As a building block of the sponge city, it is linked to the commercial city level below the terrace by vertical green facades and stairwells. The hybrid wood construction with consistent system separation, recyclable materials with a low gray energy value and the focus on passive energetic measures meet high ecological standards.

Wankdorfcity 3 has the potential to become a flagship project that radiates beyond the region in terms of urban development, architecture and society. A stacked city that realizes everything that makes a city worth living in on a limited area.

Credits Collegato
Competition after prequalification, ranked with recommendation for further processing 2021
Client: IMMOFONDS
Architecture: Bob Gysin Partner
Civil engineer: Walt Galmarini AG
Landscape architecture: Planikum AG
Fire protection: BDS Security Design AG

www.wankdorfcity3.ch

Publications
TEC 21, 31.03.2022
Blog Stiftung Baukultur, 12.04.2022