Gerber Architekten wishes you and your loved ones a peaceful Christmas, restful holidays, and a healthy and successful year in 2025.
Looking back on an eventful year, we would like to express our sincere thanks for your trust and the pleasant collaboration. Your requirements and wishes have inspired us to develop precise and thoughtful solutions.
We look forward to realizing exciting projects together in the coming year.
Visualisation: © Gerber Architekten
On December 4, 2024, the German Embassy in Riyadh hosted the symposium “Re-Greening and Sustainable Urban Living”. International experts presented their research on climate-resilient urban and landscape planning for arid regions.
Greetings during the evening event were delivered by Ambassador Michael Kindsgrab, Dr. Dalia Samra-Rothe (GESALO), and representatives of the King Salman Park Foundation, Dale Chadwick and Abdullah Allohaidan. Prof. Eckhard Gerber, Hakan Lanfredi (Dussmann), and Christoph Kluska (Bruns Pflanzen) also welcomed the guests in the packed garden hall of the embassy.
Managing Director Thomas Lücking gave a presentation on King Salman Park, currently under construction, highlighting its contribution to promoting species diversity and biodiversity as well as its positive impact on Riyadh’s urban climate.
Specialist presentations by Patrick Courtney (Courtney Environmental), Dr. Laila Alharthy (Oman Botanic Gardens), Knud Megerle (wsp), Andrew Anderson (IUCN, ICOMOS, IFLA, CMEP), and Dr. Sabina Knees (Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh) explored successful approaches to re-greening desert areas.
Moderated by Dirk Steffens, the symposium concluded with a lively networking evening in the garden of the German Embassy. Taking place on the eve of COP 16 in Saudi Arabia, the event emphasized the significant role of Saudi Vision 2030 in advancing climate protection and sustainable urban development.
Our design for the new “World of Temptations” exhibition center in Erfurt has been awarded second prize. The concept combines addiction prevention, health promotion, and art, merging openness, interaction, and sustainability into a unique space for community and exchange. The goal was to create a participatory, multifunctional building that has a far-reaching impact beyond the immediate neighborhood and appeals to a diverse audience.
The elongated building structure closes an urban gap while creating a generous forecourt as a space for exchange and interaction. Seating areas, a community garden, and a green shared space invite visitors to engage with the space. The semi-transparent façade facing the square conveys transparency and openness, providing insights into the building’s interior, which houses permanent and temporary exhibition spaces as well as rooms for educational and cultural programs.
The semi-transparent façade enhances the building’s welcoming atmosphere by visually connecting the interior with the exterior. Flexible spaces accommodate exhibitions, workshops, and cultural events, transforming the building into a hub for dialogue and raising awareness.
Our concept emphasizes the use of sustainable, durable materials, including recycled profiled glass, wood, and concrete. Photovoltaic modules integrated into the roof and intensively greened areas further contribute to energy efficiency and resource conservation. The open space design, based on the sponge city principle, promotes sustainable rainwater management and improves the local microclimate.
The “World of Temptations” exhibition center will be a place where visitors can gain new perspectives and engage with socially relevant topics.
The planned residential quarter on the former locomotive shed site in Wuppertal-Vohwinkel has secured 2nd prize in the architecture competition. The concept combines modern urban development with sustainable solutions, making the area a future-oriented residential location.
At the heart of the design is an innovative mobility concept, with a focus on car-free zones that create more space for pedestrians and cyclists. Two mobility hubs, integrated at the edges of the district, will provide car and bike sharing, as well as charging stations for electric vehicles. These measures aim to not only reduce motorized traffic but also offer residents an environmentally friendly and convenient means of mobility.
Sustainability is another key aspect of the project. The district will be powered by renewable energy sources such as solar and geothermal energy. Green roofs and urban farming will contribute to biodiversity and improve the microclimate. The well-designed open spaces, which will serve both as retention areas for drainage and as recreational spaces, will be another highlight of the district.
A central green boulevard will run through the district, serving as a connecting axis between the BUGA (Federal Garden Show 2031) and the Nordbahntrasse. This boulevard will offer a high quality of life to both residents and visitors and has been created in cooperation with scheuvens + wachten plus.
This project will not only create new housing but also a future-proof, sustainable district that promotes the integration of green spaces and sustainable mobility.
On 22 October 2024, the foundation stone was ceremoniously laid for another major construction project on the grounds of Ruhr-Universität Bochum: the NA complex. After careful investigations, it became clear that the original building could no longer be preserved due to contamination. In close consultation with the relevant heritage protection authorities, the decision was therefore made to construct a new replacement building that takes up the historical character of the old building and at the same time fulfils modern requirements.
Once the construction work has been completed, the new NA complex will be both technically and functionally state-of-the-art. It will also offer attractive areas such as a cafeteria and a library that can be used by the university’s various departments. In addition to this construction project, we have already been involved in the refurbishment of buildings IA, IB and IC as well as the construction of the new research centre (ZGH). These projects emphasise our commitment to maintaining and continuously developing the Ruhr University. They make an important contribution to the revitalisation of the campus by creating modern and attractive spaces for research and teaching.
By laying the foundation stone, we are sending out an important signal for the forward-looking development of the RUB campus and look forward to the completion of the NA complex.
The design for our student residence in Hof, Bavaria, combines modern design with ecological responsibility. The two-part structure opens up towards a protected biotope, creating a quiet retreat for the students. The positioning on the plot and the angled shape of the building create an inviting entrance situation, while the building sections allow for optimal lighting conditions and exciting visual relationships. Three modular staircases ensure flexible and efficient access.
Sustainability takes centre stage in our design: extensive green roofs improve the microclimate and rainwater is collected to irrigate the green areas. The façade made of prefabricated timber elements shortens the construction time and guarantees high quality. The bulkhead construction method ensures fast and cost-efficient realisation, while low-maintenance materials provide a long-lasting and pleasant living environment.
On October 2, the cornerstone for the expansion of the Emschergenossenschaft headquarters in Essen was laid. The historic Emscherhaus, designed by Wilhelm Kreis in 1909 and marking the site of the Water Management Association for over 100 years, will be complemented by an innovative new building from Gerber Architekten. The goal is to unite all employees, who have previously been spread across multiple locations, in one place.
The new timber hybrid building combines listed architecture with modern, innovative solutions. The expansion completes the block perimeter and creates a landscaped courtyard with water features. This blue-green design, which replaces the old parking lot, emphasizes the ecological focus of the Emschergenossenschaft. An additional entrance on the side away from the street ensures a harmonious connection between the new building and the adjacent park.
The expansion of the historic site is a sign of the Emschergenossenschaft’s commitment to sustainable development and innovative architecture. In time for the 125th anniversary of the Emschergenossenschaft in 2025, the new building will connect the history of the Water Management Association with modern, forward-looking workspaces.
Photo: © Gerber Architekten
On September 26, 2024, the topping-out ceremony for the new building of the Chemical Institutes and the Technical Center at the Campus Riedberg of Goethe University in Frankfurt am Main was celebrated. Representatives of the university, the state of Hesse, and the city of Frankfurt gathered at the construction site to commemorate this important construction milestone. “In this new building, interdisciplinary research will continue to be conducted at an international level – in collaboration with all other disciplines on the Campus Riedberg as well as with the non-university research institutions,” explained Prof. Dr. Enrico Schleiff, President of Goethe University.
The new building consists of two parallel structures that meet the ever-changing demands of science with their modern laboratories and flexible research spaces. The design of the building, which harmoniously integrates with the existing campus architecture through the use of red brick, provides areas for communication and relaxation in the green courtyards between the buildings. A central corridor runs through the two building sections, innovatively connecting the areas of research and teaching.
The completion of the project is planned for 2026/2027 and will expand Campus Riedberg, where Gerber Architekten has successfully realized three other buildings since 2009, with a significant research facility.
Photo: © Gerber Architekten