The Swiss architecture studio, E2A, based in Zurich were the winners, in 2014, of the restricted international competition, in which 25 candidates (including Bjarke Ingels Group - BIG) participated to design the new headquarters of this atypical newspaper.

Die Tageszeitung (or the daily newspaper), commonly referred to as taz, is a cooperative-owned German daily newspaper administrated by its employees. The newspaper was founded in 1978 in Berlin as part of an independent, progressive and politically left-leaning movement, it has focused on current politics, social issues such as inequality, ecological crises both local and international, and other topics not covered by the more traditional newspapers.
After 25 years at the Rudi Dutschke-Strasse crossing the Checkpoint Charlie, the Berlin newspaper moved to a new headquarters further south on Friedrichstrasse 20-22, which allows the TAZ to gather its nearly 250 employees in a single headquarters next to Bessel Park.

E2A designed a structural system of the new house as a network with a minimum of material to achieve the maximal load capacity. All parts have to do the same and only achieve stability together. It is a system without hierarchy. The architectural appearance of the new house for the TAZ becomes structure and symbol of the organization at the same time.

The 13-meter deep office areas create a workshop atmosphere and enable a variety of forms of work. In the centre of the building a vertical staircase sculpture connects the floors.
 

Project description by E2A

In its special corner situation on the Friedrichstraße, the new building of the ”taz“ has to mediate between the traditional Berlin block and the solitary buildings from the time of the IBA in 1984. The combination of corner and block was simply solved: Along the Friedrichstraße the Berlin eave height was adopted and the block con- tinued. A gentle retreat in the façade creates a clearly accentuated entrance. The street, corner and courtyard thus become the urban leitmotiv and transform the potential building envelope of the current development plan in a simple and concise volumetry.

The structural system of the new house is designed as a network with a minimum of material to achieve the maximal load capacity. All parts have to do the same and only achieve stability together. It is a system without hierarchy. The architectural appearance of the new house for the taz becomes structure and symbol of the organization at the same time. Externally, the network structure appears as a filigree layer with French balconies. It spans the new building and gives it its lightness. The 13-meter deep office areas create a workshop atmosphere and enable a variety of forms of work. In the centre of the building a vertical staircase sculpture connects the floors.

The architecture, façade and little, but intelligently used building technology are optimally coordinated to develop a building and technology concept with high user comfort an minimal energy input. En general, las condiciones equilibradas en todo el complejo de edificios mantienen cortos los períodos de calentamiento y enfriamiento y, entre estos períodos, se proporcionan períodos de transición más largos sin energía. Additionally, the open space structures compensate for any climatic differences between the different façade orientations. The consistent reduction of thermal loads reduces the energy turnover in the rooms to a minimum, which has a positive effect on energy consumption as well as thermal comfort.

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Architects
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Project Team
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Wim Eckert, Piet Eckert with Claudio Aquino and Mireya Sanchez Gomez, Felix Yaparsidi, Alexander Struck, Yusuke Ota, Corbin Jenkins, Lukasz Wlodarczyk, Sebastian Pertl, Eric Rudolph.

Project team competition.- Wim Eckert, Piet Eckert with André Passos and Alexander Struck, Tobias Weise, Bojana Miskeljin, Philip Milkowski, Rickey Gates, Jochen Paul.
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Collaborators
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Consultant to the client.- Dipl.-Ing. Architektin Ulrike Lickert, Berlin. Project management: SMV Bauprojektsteuerung Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH, Berlin.
Construction management.- Sedeño Bauplanung GmbH, Berlin. Structural Engineering.- Schnetzer Puskas International AG, Basel. Landscape.- Hofgrün Berlin GmbH, Berlin. Excavation.- GuD Planungsgesellschaft für Ingenieurbau mbh, Berlin. Façade Engineering.- Emmer Pfenninger Partner AG, CH-Münchenstein.
Energy and Building Technology.- competition.- Ernst Basler und Partner AG, Berlin und Zürich. Planning and execution phase.- PHA-Planungsbüro für haustechnische Anlagen GmbH, D-Volkmarsen.
Building Physics.- jh-Ingenieure GmbH, D-Kleinmachnow. Solar Power System.-
Solarpraxis Engineering GmbH, Berlin. Fire Safety.- hhp Berlin Ingenieure für Brandschutz GmbH, Berlin. Gastronomical planning.- Chefs Culinar, Berlin.
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Client
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taz, die tageszeitung. Verlagsgenossenschaft eG, Berlin represented by Andreas Bull und Karl-Heinz Ruch.
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Chronology
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Competition.- 7/2014. Planning.- 2014 - 2015. Realization.- 11/2015 - 10/2018.
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Measures
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Site.- 1,367 m². Gross Floor Area.- 7,820 m². Net Floor Area.- 7,105 m². Usable Area.- 5,417 m². Gross Volume.- 29,630 m³.
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Venue / Adress
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Friedrichstrasse 21. 10969 Berlin. Germany
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Photography
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E2A Piet Eckert und Wim Eckert / Architekten, is an architecture firm founded by Wim Eckert and Piet Eckert in 2001.

Wim Eckert was born in 1969 in Zurich. Following his studies at the ETH Zurich (Diploma 1995, with honorable mention) he collaborated at OMA Office for Metropolitan Architecture in Rotterdam from 1996 to 1997. He has been working as an independent architect since 1997 and founded E2A with Piet Eckert in 2001. Wim Eckert regularly gives lectures and workshops at universities and institutions.
 
From 2009 to 2011, Wim Eckert was a visiting Professor for Architecture and Sustainable Building (Bachelors and Masters Degrees) at the HCU HafenCity University Hamburg. Along with the teaching of architecture, the focal point of the visiting professorship was in developing a think tank which allowed for research about sustainability in relation to architecture, urban planning, the arts and engineering.

Since 2014, Wim Eckert is Guest Professor at the USI - Università dell Svizzera Italiana at Mendrisio.

Piet Eckert was born in 1968 in Mumbai (Bombay). Following his studies at the Columbia Graduate School of Architecture in New York and the ETH Zurich (Diploma 1994 at the ETH Zurich, with honourable mention) he collaborated at OMA Office for Metropolitan Architecture in Rotterdam from 1995 to 1997. He has been working as an independent architect since 1997 and founded E2A with Wim Eckert in 2001.
 
Piet Eckert regularly gives lectures and workshops at various Universities and Institutes. He was a visiting professor at the Delft University of Technology and faculty member at the ETH Zurich. From 2009 to 2011, Piet was a visiting Professor for Architecture and Sustainable Building (Bachelors and Masters Degrees) at the HCU HafenCity University of Hamburg. Along with the teaching of architecture, the focal point of the visiting professors was in developing a think tank which allowed for research about sustainability in relation to architecture, urban planning, the arts and engineering.

Since 2014, Piet Eckert is Guest Professor at the USI - Università dell Svizzera Italiana at Mendrisio.
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Published on: January 9, 2020
Cite: "New Publishing house and editorial offices for Taz newspaper by E2A" METALOCUS. Accessed
<https://www.metalocus.es/en/news/new-publishing-house-and-editorial-offices-taz-newspaper-e2a> ISSN 1139-6415
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