Neugestaltung des denkmalgeschützten Senckenbergareals in Frankfurt/Main - Nutzung vorhandener Qualitäten und Wertschätzung historischer Konstruktionen

Redesign of the listed Senckenbergareal in Frankfurt/Main. Using existing qualities and appreciation of historic structures

The Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung (Association for Research in Nature), sponsor of the renowned Senckenberg Museum and equally prestigious Senckenberg Institute, aims to increase its facilities for research, collection and administration in Frankfurt/Main by 19,000m² by the end of 2018.
Kulka-Architekten, based in Cologne and Dresden, reconfigured and merged three historic buildings to satisfy the demands of a modern research facility while taking account of the historic building preservation act.
The international consultancy ProfessorPfeiferundPartner, which was entrusted with the structural engineering of this challenging project, in a first step assessed the as-built situation of the more than 100 years' old multi-storey buildings for structural stability with a view to establish the feasibility of the envisaged redevelopment.
Further design steps included the "cautious" strengthening of floor slabs of various type, the addition of an annex as well as the joining of buildings by means of imposing connection-bridges. Complex demolition and construction sequence analysis, strengthening of foundations by means of HDI injection as well as the restoration of parts of the sandstone façade elements had to be considered as well.