Project name: GSW Headquarters Location: Berlin, Germany Latitude: 52° 31’ N Date of completion: 1999 Architect: Sauerbruch Hutton Architekten Floor area: 48,000 m 2 Floor levels: 23

1. Project name:
GSW Headquarters
Location:
Berlin, Germany
Latitude:
52° 31’ N
Date of completion:
1999
Architect:
Sauerbruch Hutton Architekten
Floor area:
48,000 m
2
Floor levels:
23

13. In response to urban and functional conditions, the GSW Headquarters Building is an
assemblage of multiple volumes including an existing tower, three-story street-oriented bar,
and new tower.
The highly transparent and dynamic facades of the new tower are the most important aspect
of the low-energy building concept. Colorful automated shading panels in the west double
skin cavity manage solar heat gain and daylighting.
Natural ventilation is brought in through the west double skin facade, through the interior
spaces, across specially design corridor openings, and is vented to the east. The west facade
cavity serves as a solar flue drawing air up and out utilizing automated top and bottom
control flaps to provide seasonal and weather control.

14. Many architects face the problem of what to do when site or other factors force the
major axis of a building to face east and west. The solution for GSW Headquarters in
Berlin by sauerbruch-hutton of Berlin was to deal with the problem face on.
The west facade is a double skin which acts a thermal buffer, and a thermal flue which
draws fresh air through the building.
Arup who engineered the building claims the goal to achieve "energy savings of 30-40%
in comparison to an ordinary building." And because of the cross ventilation created by
the flue effect, mechanical ventilation is no longer required 70% the year.
The second layer of automation is the system of colored blinds within the cavity on the
west facade. The automation can be overridden by the occupants, but protects against
the direct sunlight in the afternoon.

15. The GSW Headquarters has double-skinned facades. The system of blinds on the west
facade plays an important role in controlling solar gains and reduces the use of artificial
heating and cooling. Polychromy was a key feature of the blinds.