Gelber Block

In Munich’s vibrant Westend district, the Gelber Block building project is increasingly taking shape. The Yellow Block, a functional residential building from the 1920s, is now being carefully modernised and extended. The historic ensemble is to be revitalised with a total of 45 new residential units. A decisive factor in this modernisation project is the prefabrication of the timber wall and roof elements for the planned additional storeys. These elements, equipped with high-quality timber-aluminium windows and fall protection, will be manufactured in the carpentry workshop and assembled on site from November 2023. The project began with the scheduled demolition of the old roof truss. Prior to this, temporary waterproofing was installed underneath the roofing, while a solid ring beam was concreted at the edge of the roof, which will later serve as the base for the new timber construction walls.

The next step was to open up the stairwells at the top and extend the shell to the outside. Every second stairwell will have an additional solid extension in which a new lift will be installed. These measures not only improve the accessibility of the existing flats, but also offer future residents contemporary comfort. The two-storey extension marks a milestone in the development of the Yellow Block. This extension will transform the neighbourhood into a contemporary residential building in the heart of Munich. However, it is not just the addition of the extra storey that is a highlight; the façade and windows of the existing building are also being renovated to improve energy efficiency, the stairwells are being modernised and the existing flats are being upgraded with the addition of new balconies, which are suspended from the new wooden ceiling via a cornice extension.

The project is not only a testimony to the successful combination of old and new, but also an outstanding example of sustainable housing construction and co-operative project development. The current progress shows that the Yellow Block is well on the way to becoming an architectural highlight of Munich’s West End.