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Residential construction

Jackson Three in the Franklin district, Mannheim

Mannheim, Germany / 01.2019 - 12.2020

Project developer GWH Bauprojekte GmbH awarded the contract for the turnkey construction of 11 fully accessible multi-family dwellings containing 143 apartments and 155 underground parking spaces in Mannheim’s Franklin district to PORR Hochbau. These buildings are clustered around a revitalised, gutted and fully refurbished barracks building dating back to the post-war era, which now contains an additional 12 apartments. The project encompasses a gross floor area of 24,382.68m², of which 15,886m² constitutes living spaces, with an additional 4,100m² of underground parking.

Urban development on a spectacular scale

Over the past few years, the American armed forces have returned approximately 500ha of garrison facilities in the former US garrison town of Mannheim to the ownership of the city. A 144ha section including Benjamin Franklin Village, formerly the largest US-owned housing estate in Germany, is being transformed into a sustainable, future-ready city district under the direction of urban development company MWSP. The Franklin development provides space for up to 9,000 people to live and work, along with a range of sporting, cultural, educational, health, care and childcare facilities. The district also incorporates 50ha of parkland and features close proximity to the Käfertaler Wald recreation area, providing a taste of nature right outside the residents’ front doors.

View of the 4-storey building; the façade surfaces between the windows were painted in different shades of beige; in the foreground is a green area with a small playground and seating;

Facts & Figures

Company

PORR Hochbau West GmbH

Type

Residential construction

Runtime

01.2019 - 12.2020

Principal
GWH Bauprojekte GmbH

A perfect symbiosis of old and new

A modern block perimeter construction with plenty of light and views

The urban planning concept for the project envisioned the Franklin 5 development as containing a variety of sections to suit a range of lifestyles. The complex has it all, from exclusive single-family dwellings to inclusive residential concepts. The Jackson Three project is located in the northern part of Franklin Mitte, the urban centre of the new city district. The office of Stefan Forster Architects took the concept of a classic city block construction and used it to create a people-oriented design featuring four-storey rectangles around sheltered, green inner courtyards. Open loggias between individual buildings break up the plain lines of the complex and allow more daylight to reach the interior spaces. A thermally insulated clinker-brick facing surrounding each plinth creates a visual connection between the individual buildings. Once transformed into a modern, thoroughly optimised urban residence, the former barracks blended seamlessly into other two rectangular complexes of the development. Preservation of the original character of the site and a piece of Mannheim’s history was an important consideration for the project.

What ultimately counts in the construction business is successfully completed projects. PORR has many of these.

View of the 4-storey building; the façade surfaces between the windows were painted in different shades of beige; in the foreground is a green area with a small playground and seating; View of the building complex; the ground floor consists of a clinker brick façade; the three remaining upper floors are beige in colour; the building on the left has a triangular shape towards the end of the building; there is a spacious roof terrace on the top floor; the floors below have loggias; several young trees can be seen on the green area in the foreground; View of the entrance on the street side; beige building complex with floor-to-ceiling windows; the bathroom windows are smaller; all window elements are framed with dark grey paint; the base is also completely dark grey; the entrance is covered;