Modern Berlin neighbourhood with industrial character
Influenced by the charm of steam locomotives in the 19th century, Europacity is now being built on the approximately 40-hectare site north of Berlin's main railway station. A generously proportioned urban quarter divided into four planning areas with different focal points of use. One of these is Quartier Heidestraße, which will offer lively diversity and independence with varied living and working spaces. One of the first completed buildings in the quarter is the CORE.
Planned by ROBERTNEUN Architekten, it reflects the cultural heritage of the Berlin location. In addition to the seven buildings planned within the area, it offers a variety of uses as a residential and commercial building. While office space, restaurants and retail are oriented towards the busy sides of the building, the flats on the upper floors enjoy a relaxed view of the landscaped inner courtyard. This creates privacy and distance from the urban hustle and bustle. The triangular square as a quiet public space in front of the building with its water features offers a high quality of stay for passers-by and residents. It opens onto the lively Heidestraße, which invites people to stroll through its large shop windows and is the central thoroughfare of Europacity. The brick façade of CORE is the link to the industrial and commercial history of the quarter. It is reminiscent of Berlin railway station architecture such as the listed Hackescher Markt S-Bahn station and industrial buildings in brick, such as the Ullstein-Haus in Tempelhof.
The signage by meng blends harmoniously into this architecture and scores points with its material appearance and workmanship.
Meng planned and realised the signage system for the CORE underground car park, which extends over two parking levels and has ten exits with various staircases. In the most frequented entrances, the ground plan of the building was lasered in stainless steel. It serves as the basis for the location marking. In combination with custom-made flag signs, large floor signposts and overview plans, an individual sign family was created that accentuates the industrial character of the building. The entrance to the multi-storey car park is marked on a large scale. In addition, free parking spaces and parking spaces with e-charging stations are communicated via a digital display that is visible from afar. The multi-storey car park does not need barriers or tickets, as visitors' number plates are recorded electronically. Payment is made via an app or cashless at a vending machine.
Due to the commissioned overall signage service, there were short coordination and reaction times for all parties involved. The design basis for the planning were the colours of the neighbourhood and the tapered floor plan of CORE. This became part of the design concept as a striking recognition feature. The building is identified by a free-standing stele on the triangular square. As a landmark, it blends perfectly into the appearance of the building with its sleek look and high-quality finish.
As an individual design, its ground plan corresponds to the building's ground plan in trapezoidal form. The silk matt surface has been matched to the colour of the façade. Orientation features are differentiated with different degrees of gloss. The building ground plan CORE is applied in polished stainless steel. The building name also appears raised. The floor plans of the houses still under construction in the Heidestraße quarter are also shown. With the help of the location markings, passers-by can see where they are in the quarter. Painted high gloss, but in the same colour, the qH logo of the quarter stands out from the surfaces. The reflections create attention and movement. The stele communicates not only the luminous house number of the property, but also the public access to the underground car park. Its textural diversity reflects the lively life and people, for many paths cross at the Dreiecksplatz. It is a focal point and the first address in the new quarter with a big-city atmosphere and the feel-good character of a typical Berlin neighbourhood.