The Old Town Hall built in 1911 has survived the destruction of Pforzheim’s inner city during the Second World War as a torso. After the war, it was declared a listed building and is now the link between the New Town Hall and the Technical Town Hall. In line with the former voluminous roof truss, two storeys were added on top of the old building. The original proportions of the old building were partially restored, particularly by exposing the corner towers and southern gable. The other surfaces, which had been covered by rendering after the war, remained intact, but were painted to contrast with the natural stone part of the facade. The extension on the north-western corner of the building is clearly identifiable as such and forms the link between the two sections, the refurbished old building and the new addition. The heart of the building is the reconstructed hall, which serves as a citizens’ centre. The slats of the arched glass roof diffract the light into spectral colours and are reminiscent of the original dome-shaped roof.
Services Wenzel + Wenzel: Execution Planning (partially), Tendering (partially), Award of contracts (partially), Site Supervision
Client: Grundbesitzgesellschaft Altes Rathaus GmbH, represented by Hochbauamt Pforzheim
Design: ARGE Auer+Weber+Partner, Stuttgart mit Wenzel+Wenzel, Karlsruhe
Awards:
Auszeichnung Guter Bauten Landkreis Pforzheim 2002 (BDA)
Beispielhaftes Bauen “Pforzheim und Enzkreis 1995-2004” (AKBW)
Project data:
period of performance: 1998 – 2001
gross room volume: ca. 28,700 m³
gross floor area: ca. 7,250 m²
costs: ca. €16.4m
Copyright:
Photos © Roland Halbe
