Sustainable, green, and in harmony with the cityscape: That’s the new campus for the public insurance company Versicherungskammer (VK) in Giesing, just south of Munich’s city center. Three new stand-alone structures will be added south of the elongated existing block on Warngauer Strasse to create a state-of-the-art working environment. Building heights are configured to integrate naturally into the skyline. The open space will also be revamped and in the future the area will be accessible from Deisendorfer Strasse in the future.

Imaginative landscape architecture will invite local residents to make free use of the green space. Steps have been taken to transform the atmospheric quality of the site, with exemplary use made of its characteristic height differences to incorporate a secluded courtyard, a communal meeting place, and a sports field. An auditorium effortlessly bridges a height difference and connects the existing sunken courtyard with the new central plaza. This serves as a place for events that can be connected to indoor and outdoor areas as required. A public café, sports facilities with a climbing wall, and a garden for activities inject life and interest. This green oasis in the middle of Munich will greatly enhance the local area, unobtrusively networking the company into its environs and granting additional space to the local citizens. The new and existing structures are connected by a third-floor communication level. Short connecting routes, interesting perspectives, and ample meeting space characterize an architecture honed for interaction.

Sustainability is the watchword. The stand-alone buildings allow air to flow freely through the campus and create a healthy micro-climate. All the surfaces around the new buildings will be unsealed, while tree sites dimensioned for full growth realize the “sponge city” principle. The biodiversity roofs include photovoltaic panels to power the campus, while facades are energy optimized in accordance with their solar orientation. Where the solar load is greatest, fixed external louvers provide additional shade. The new buildings also embody the principles of circular construction. In addition, the facade components of the existing building that is to be demolished will be studied to determine their reusability and possible inclusion in the replacement structure.