Facade and roof in Corian® Exteriors For an attractive monolithic building in Hamburg

March 2023 - Hamburg’s architecture is a fascinating combination of Romanesque churches, Art Nouveau mansions and modern buildings standing side by side and illustrating the city’s rich history. The new D11 building is a stunning example of innovative concepts that have continuously shaped Hamburg’s urbanism. With its facade and roof cladded with Corian® Exteriors panels, D11 stands as an eye-catching liaison between a Wilhelminian style building and a functional apartment building from the sixties.

D11 building in Hamburg. Facade and roof made with Corian® Exteriors panels; project: grasp architecture GmbH; manufactured by Henke AG; photo ©Jörg Hempel, Aachen, all rights reserved.

D11 is located in a quiet and residential street in the heart of Grindelviertel, the former Jewish district of Hamburg, famous for its rich history and its small, authentic shops and cafés. It is built on a narrow 252 square metres plot which previously hosted a garage. The smooth façade in Corian® Exteriors color Glacier White picks up on the structure and lines of its neighbour, a Wilhelminian style building, and progressively deconstructs them while approaching the next building. At the back, D11 creates a modern connection with the next 1960’s building through its gable roof.

D11 building in Hamburg. Facade and roof made with Corian® Exteriors panels; project: grasp architecture GmbH; manufactured by Henke AG; photo ©Jörg Hempel, Aachen, all rights reserved.

The goal was to create a modern, high-quality apartment building making maximum use of the available space, that could fit harmoniously between the two very different surrounding buildings. To reach this objective, grasp architecture designed a visually monolithic building with the facade and the roof entirely cladded with 442 square metres of Corian® Exteriors panels. The roof is a complete waterproof sub-structure made of steel sheets, cladded with 66 square meters of Corian® Exteriors panels shaped as a gable roof.

The project made by the architects involved the use of white solid panels. Grasp architecture had never used Corian® Exteriors before, and they selected it for the facade and the roof for several reasons. In terms of design, it allows to produce two or three-dimensionally formed façade sections as well as sharped sections for corners and lintel elements, therefore creating seamlessly corresponding façade connections and enabling complex architectural achievements: the details of the roof edges required to be extremely precise, for example, as gutters and downpipes are hidden in the facade and roof. It is also long lasting, easy to repair and renewable. Using Corian® Exteriors panels for the roof offered the architects the combined advantages of providing design homogeneity with the facade, and optimal thermal insulation for the building. Corian® Exteriors is also a great choice for environmental reasons. Ventilated facades with Corian® Exteriors are breathable, providing great energy savings.

D11 building in Hamburg. Facade and roof made with Corian® Exteriors panels; project: grasp architecture GmbH; manufactured by Henke AG; photo ©Jörg Hempel, Aachen, all rights reserved.

From the outside, D11 stands out as a white sculpture, with its pure and clear aesthetics. Inside, natural materials and a darker colour scheme convey warmth and cosiness. Each of the three residential units is designed to maintain as much natural light as possible, with many windows of different sizes. Floor-to-ceiling windows create a feeling of space and light in the middle floor, while the ground and first floors are lit by horizontal openings in the ceiling, allowing plenty of daylight. And the top floor ends on a roof terrace with wooden decking overlooking the neighbourhood.

Corian® Exteriors cladding panels for exteriors application are made with Corian® Solid Surface, which is a non-porous material, resistant to UV and to fading. A facade with Corian® Exteriors allows to express design concepts with the proven benefits of ventilated facades. These solutions provide great thermal insulation by allowing the air to circulate creating a breathable, low-maintenance environment. Keeping the building dry and ventilated has a positive impact on health and wellness of its occupants, and it also ensures its energy efficiency. A saving of up to 40% of energy consumption can be made with ventilated facades.

grasp architecture GmbH (www.grasp-architecture.com) is an architecture agency based in Hamburg, Germany, which designs, plans and builds extraordinary projects. The common feature of the projects is their sophisticated architecture tailored to the current context. The joint role of architect and project developer ensures the implementation of the highest quality.

Beauty Meets Versatility with Corian® Exteriors - Corian® Exteriors solutions based on Corian® Solid Surface brings personality to virtually any type of environment, enhancing and facilitating the lives of those who use and enjoy its unique potential. It can be crafted into almost any shape, for any place, for any purpose, and is available in a wide range of colors, offering you the freedom to design, explore, and create. Long-lasting, durable, and elegant, Corian® Exteriors solutions, such as cladding panels, have a three-dimensional formability that has been liberating inventive and artistic minds for over 40 years. To know more about Corian® Exteriors: www.exteriors.corian.com

About DuPont - DuPont (NYSE: DD) is a global innovation leader with technology-based materials, ingredients and solutions that help transform industries and everyday life. Our employees apply diverse science and expertise to help customers advance their best ideas and deliver essential innovations in key markets including electronics, transportation, building and construction, health and wellness, food and worker safety. More information can be found at www.dupont.com.

DuPont manufactures and sells surfacing materials and products that inspires creative design. DuPont is not in the business of architecture, engineering, or performing installations. As such, we do not approve or disapprove any applications' final drawings or installation, nor assume any liability for such. Any and all liability for a final design rests solely with the architect, designer, and/or the building owner.

Media contact:
Łukasz Gągało,
Corian® Design
EMEA Commercial Segment Marketing Leader
Email: lukasz.gagalo@dupont.com