spillmann echsle architekten

The location of the site on the outskirts of the city of Dresden is a former military barracks with a rich history. Existing cranes, railway tracks, concrete floors and cobble stones can be traced back to its original function as a freight depot. These historically significant features establish a link to modern day transport and mobility around the site, as well as providing the context for an unusual project to attract a young demographic. The Boarding House in Dresden consists of 150 shipping containers stacked vertically together. This creates compact building volumes that comprise of up to four different hotel rooms. The towers allow for sufficient transparency and at the same time ensure a high urban density. A large part of the original pavement is cut away allowing a birch forest to grow over time. The containers’ volumes are sporadically placed in the forest creating numerous semi-public outdoor spaces. A forest path formed from remnants of the original floor laces all elements together and refers to the omnipresence of history that reveals itself in a palimpsestic way.