CANTEEN AND FOOD SUPPLY FOR THE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL
delicate and transparent The glass building of the canteen is located between Berthold-Beitz Square and the main entrance to the clinic. The surrounding buildings made of exposed aggregate concrete, clinker prefabricated components, and plaster façades from the different epochs of the last century prompted us to design a glazed solitaire as a link in the center of the square. A transparent building, whose public function is instantly clear from its appearance. The central hall is accessible from entrances on both the north and south sides so that the canteen, in urban development terms, functions as a connective link between the institutional buildings, library, and clinic. The 600-seat dining hall, the actual canteen, is located upstairs. In order to clearly highlight the entrances, the corners are cut out of the square shape building. The steel framework construction of the canteen storey above was developed out of this subtractive procedure, the taking away of mass from the building’s overall volume. Storey-high diagonals running into the steel construction support the overhanging parts of the building. The steel skeleton structures sit on the base storey constructed from exposed concrete, in which the supply and waste disposal rooms, the cafeteria, and a grand conference room for the clinic are housed.
The main staircase connects the storeys with one another, so as to enable traffic-free access. The completely glazed 600-seat dining hall is column-free, so that large-scale events can be held in it.
