Max Dudler has completed his latest project about German fortress. This new project is a new entrance building for the historic Hambach Castle on the edge of the Palatine Forest.

Max Dudler, who has previously designed projects as Heidelberg Castle's Visitor Centre and the previouly reconstruction and extension of the Hambach Castle, designing facilities for these fortified sites in Germany.

Hambach Castle originated as a Roman hilltop settlement, but also provided the venue for the foundation of the German democracy movement when it hosted the Hambacher Fest of 1832 – a political festival disguised as a county fair. In 2004, the Swiss architect won a competition to renovate the building and its grounds, with the aim to make it more attractive and accessible to tourists.

The first two phases involved restoring the castle and wrapping a contemporary restaurant around one side. This, the third and final phase, was to create an ancillary building on the outer northern perimeter of the grounds. Max Dudler chose local Leistadt sandstone for the walls and roof of the entrance building, creating an affinity with the historic structures.


"Derived from the archetypical basic shape, the building effectively follows the site's curved morphology and develops an apparently spontaneous and offset geometry," said Dudler's studio in a statement. "This 'trick' made it possible to adapt the building's considerable volume... At the same time its special geometry becomes a motor for the design's sculptural vibrancy."


Every window is the same size, creating a rhythm across each of the walls, and glazing is set back so that it reveals the thickness of the stone.

Inside, the ground floor contains a small information centre where visitors can buy tickets, while the upper level is occupied by the offices of the castle's foundation and the company that manages the building. Both levels feature built-in wooden joinery that creates storage along the walls. Walls and ceilings are painted white.

The building was opened  in an official ceremony last 3 November.

Read more
Read less

More information

Label
Architects
Text
Max Dudler. Project managers.- Simone Boldrin, Julia Lapsin.
+ + copy Created with Sketch.
- + copy Created with Sketch.
Label
Project team
Text
Team.- Kilian Teckemeier, Thomas Back, Patrick Gründel.
Supervisión de la construcción.- Plan Art GmbH.
+ + copy Created with Sketch.
- + copy Created with Sketch.
Label
Collaborators
Text
Structural engineers/fire protection.- SCHENCK Beratender Ingenieur.
Building services.- Gebäudetechnik
Building physics and acoustics.- ITA Ingenieurgesellschaft für Technische Akustik.
Landscape architects.- Latz Riehl Partner Landschaftsarchitekten, LOMA architecture.
+ + copy Created with Sketch.
- + copy Created with Sketch.
Label
Area
Text
452.0 sqm
+ + copy Created with Sketch.
- + copy Created with Sketch.
Label
Dates
Text
Year.- 2014.
+ + copy Created with Sketch.
- + copy Created with Sketch.
Label
Location
Text
67434 Neustadt, Germany.
+ + copy Created with Sketch.
- + copy Created with Sketch.
Label
Photography
+ + copy Created with Sketch.
- + copy Created with Sketch.

Max Dudler, born in Altenrhein in Switzerland. He studied architecture at Architektur an der Städelschule in Frankfurt with the professor Günther Bock and in the Hochschule der Künste Berlin with the professor Ludwig Leo. At first he worked in the Oswald Matías Ungers office after working with Pete and Karl Dudler in 1986 establishing its own office.

Since 1992 leads its own architectural firm with headquarters in Berlin, Zurich and Frankfurt. After being visiting professor in Venice, Mantua, Vienna or Dortmund, Max Dudler was selected in 2004 as professor of architecture at the Klasse Baukunst der Kunstakademie Düsseldort.

Read more
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...
Loading content ...