Naxos building | Stefan Forster

In the middle of Frankfurt´s Nordend district, this new residential block was built to passive house standards on the site of a former Naxos-Union factory. Retaining and integrating the distinctive trees along Wingertstrasse was an important part of the design considerations: the comb-like structure of the complex on this side, with its broad area of green in front of the apartments, is a direct response to this situation. The private gardens of the ground-floor apartments are located in the five courtyards. The back of the complex is oriented towards the listed Naxoshalle, the last remaining relic from the site´s former industrial use. On the corner of Wingertstrasse and Wittelsbacherallee the block is finished off conventionally with a corner tower. The continuous clinker cladding on the ground floor strengthens the ensemble character and is also a reference to its urban context. All the dual-aspect apartments have large loggias to the front and to the rear. In total 69 freehold and 47 rental apartments were built here to the passive house standard.