Harmonious fusion of historic and modern

In the mid-19th century, a district criminal court was erected in Freiburg’s old town. It was extended multiple times over the years and is now the oldest building of the modern district court. Plans were made to extend it further to the south – to restructure it – by dismantling three aging buildings in the rear courtyard of the heritage-protected perimeter development and replacing them with one extension. Ultimately, the goal was to send a clear message that in the heart of the city, steeped in tradition, the modern constitutional state performs its official duties effectively and reliably.

With this in mind, the architectural firm Auer Weber (Stuttgart) planned a modern building that blends in harmoniously with its historic surroundings while also standing apart in its architecture. Toni Felber, associate project manager at Auer Weber, explains: “The spatial restrictions were the greatest challenge, as the plot was surrounded by various existing buildings. To achieve redensification, the new building had to be integrated sensitively into the existing urban structure.” Now complete, the complex has a gross floor area of around 6,900 square metres and serves as the central reception and access building for the district court – including light and welcoming meeting rooms, waiting zones and office areas.

Aesthetic building envelope

The extension building is structured to give a monolithic effect and has a coarse-grained plaster facade. It was designed with ventilation and plaster base plates; to support the circular economy, it can be removed and sorted into its various materials at the end of its life. The deeply recessed windows with sometimes sloped reveals give the building envelope a three-dimensional quality. At the same time, the monochrome colouring – porphyry red used consistently on all visible facade elements – adds an aesthetic touch. The external venetian blind solution also blended in seamlessly and became an integral part of the planning. As Toni Felber says: “The external sun shading is a key design element, both functionally and aesthetically. By giving all the external venetian blinds the same special powder coating in porphyry red, choosing matte beige sandstone for the special aluminium strips and integrating them precisely into the facade grid, we were able to give the facade a calming yet striking look”.

Pleasant interior climate and exemplary energy balance

Warema E 60 A2 S basic external venetian blinds were used in the extension building with beaded slats and cable guidance. Controlled via a KNX bus system with weather station, they automatically adjust to the position of the sun and the current weather conditions. The movable slats prevent sunlight from entering directly while also ensuring even and natural daylight inside the building – ideal for people trying to concentrate on their work in meeting rooms and at workstations. The noticeable reduction in solar gain significantly reduces the need for cooling, improving both energy efficiency and thermal comfort. No matter the time of year, the interior remains at a pleasant temperature and energy consumption is reduced. This makes sun shading a vital element in the sustainable energy concept for the new, nearly-zero energy building – combined with a high-performance photovoltaic system on the roof, high-quality facade insulation and triple-glazed windows.

Safety through technology – the emergency retraction set

In critical areas such as escape routes and smoke extraction openings, the Warema battery-operated emergency retraction set has been added to the external sun shading. This system ensures that in a serious situation – such as a fire or power cut – the external venetian blinds will automatically move to their upper motor limit position in a matter of seconds. Escape and exit routes will be cleared immediately without any manual intervention. This technology is TÜV-certified and was specially developed to meet the requirements of public buildings. For Toni Felber, this solution was an important component of the safety concept: “The system ensures that the external venetian blinds can be controlled quickly, reliably and independently to keep escape routes and smoke ventilation openings clear.”

The result is a consistent sun shading concept that meets the requirements of a modern centre of justice in every respect – function, architecture and safety.

Construction details

• Project: Extension building for Freiburg district court
• Location: Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
• Client: State of Baden-Württemberg, represented by Vermögen und Bau Baden-Württemberg, Freiburg office
• Occupier: Freiburg district court
• Architecture: Auer Weber, Stuttgart, Germany
• Facade and metal structure: Haser Metallbau GmbH, Haslach, Germany
• Completed: 2023
• Sun shading: WAREMA E 60 A2 S basic external venetian blinds, cable guidance, beaded slats in special colour porphyry red; special aluminium strips in beige sandstone, matte
  WAREMA battery-operated emergency retraction set

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