New Volksbank administration building, Wolfenbüttel LP 1 - 9

The site for the extension of the Volksbank Wolfenbüttel administration building is characterized by a park and garden landscape, which is bordered by the existing administration building to the south, the six-metre-high wall of the prison to the east and the dominant woody vegetation along the historic street "Am Herzogtore". The listed villa, which was built at the beginning of the last century by the Welger family of industrialists, is located in the center of the property, connected to the "Am Herzogtore" cul-de-sac. In addition to the villa and the outbuildings, the complex had a spacious garden which, to the south along the central axis, was subject to an architectural-geometric design typical of the time. The spatial conclusion to the south was formed by an ensemble of different groups of trees and shrubs cut to shape. In contrast, the outdoor areas along the western boundary of the property, separated by a path axis, were designed more as a landscape garden.



The urban planning concept for the expansion of the administrative site envisages an ensemble of four cubes along the western boundary of the site, creating an inner park-like garden space in which new functions can be integrated on the one hand, but which also opens up the potential to experience the structures of the former central villa garden again on the other.


In line with this urban planning framework, the inner garden space between the new building and the historic wall of the prison is divided into three areas, some of which merge into one another and have design references to one another. The terraced garden along the cubic building ensemble has a spacious outdoor terrace that widens out differently at the individual parts of the building. Three grassy plateaus, separated from each other by cross paths, are linked to the building complex by a slight jump in the terrain, inviting visitors to linger and can also be used for temporary festivities. The eastern end of the terrace garden is formed by the path axis, which connects the existing parking lot in the south with the main access to the new building.



The design of the villa garden, which is bordered on both sides by hedges, takes up the former and preserved structures and combines them into a new garden image with a view of the south façade of the villa. The center of the garden is strengthened in the form of a water basin and its former significance is re-emphasized. This part of the garden will be bordered by a woody vegetation of clipped hedges and groups of trees towards the parking lot of the existing customer and administration building to the south of the garden.



The additional parking spaces for the extension will be located in the former area of the kitchen garden and service fields, along the historic natural stone wall of the prison. These parking spaces will be accessed via the northern driveway to the villa on the "Am Herzogtore" cul-de-sac and via the passageway in the connecting building between the villa and the former coach house. A further 20 parking spaces for the extension will be made available by extending the existing parking lot in front of the existing conference building.