Hamburg House Design, German International BauAustellung Development, Architect

Soft House : IBA Hamburg Building

IBA Building Development design by KVA Matx

2 Apr 2013

IBA Hamburg House

Design: KVA Matx

Location: Hamburg, Germany

SOFT HOUSE project for the International BauAustellung

photo from architect

International BauAustellung Hamburg Building

The SOFT HOUSE project in Hamburg, Germany is a winning competition entry designed by the KVA Matx Team for the International BauAustellung (IBA), a prestigious German building tradition that dates to 1901. The IBA Hamburg explores the ‘City in Climate Change’ and the balance of urban growth and climate conservation in the planned ‘leap’ to the Elbe islands just south of Hamburg’s HafenCity district.

The IBA Hamburg and the associated International Garden Exhibit (IGA) opened to the public in March, 2013. Over 50,000 visitors each week are expected to visit the IBA/IGA exhibition projects. Please see www.iba.de for information on IBA Hamburg and the Soft House.

photos from architect

The SOFT HOUSE, which completed construction in March 2013, is a set of live/work row house units which offer a new model for low carbon construction and an ecologically responsive lifestyle that can be personalized to meet homeowner needs. The Soft House demonstrates how domestic infrastructure can become ‘soft’— engaging flexible living concepts, carbon neutral solid wood (brettstapfel) construction, and wireless building controls with responsive and performative textiles which create the public identity of the architecture.

Through the conceptual reframing of ‘soft’ and ‘hard’ materials and the integration of architecture, mobile textiles and clean energy infrastructure the SOFT HOUSE transforms the German PassiveHaus typology, offering a much more flexible living experience.

photos from architect

The SOFT HOUSE brings together an interdisciplinary, international design team which includes KVA MATx, 360grad + Architekten, Knippers Helbig Advanced Engineering, Buro Happold Climate Engineering, G2 Landschaft, Steinbeis Climate Planning, the Patrizia Development Group and a consortium of building industry partners. More than 100 IBA partners and 40 private investors are supporting the IBA ‘leap’ across the Elbe and it is anticipated that by 2013 over 1200 new dwellings will be put up on IBA Hamburg’s territory, with an additional 5000 new dwellings projected by 2020.

Soft House images / information received from KVA Matx

IBA Hamburg : Smart Price Houses

Location: HafenCity, Hamburg
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