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The glass bays with fixed glazing and MicroShade solar protection
additionally accentuate the façades; these are one-storey in the case
of the Solitaire building, and two-storey in the case of the Carré. The
remaining windows are fitted with anti-glare protection and external
sun protectors.

Hybrid-timber construction
The construction of the buildings focused on reducing the CO2
footprint as much as possible, especially in terms of the weight of
the complex, and on using sustainable materials that can be recycled
according to the cradle-to-cradle principle. EDGE Suedkreuz
Berlin is the first project in Germany to be recorded for building
construction with a 100% match on the MADASTER material
database. It has a material passport that allows the materials used to
be reused and recycled.

The use of prefabricated modules had a positive impact on various
aspects of the construction process. The wooden elements, such as
wall and ceiling modules, were prefabricated, then assembled and
adjusted on the building site. This ensured a precise construction
schedule and an especially time-efficient and economical
construction process. The wall elements were made regionally in
Neuruppin; the ceiling elements in Lemwerder and Henningsdorf.
Altogether, 1190 wood-hybrid ceiling elements, carried by 1280
glulam façade supports, and 445 multibox wall elements with a total
area of 16,000 m² were made.
Detail of a tree platform.
Natural wood is everywhere in the interior and office spaces, making
an important contribution to a lastingly healthy indoor climate for
users. Wood possesses a high heat-storage capacity, but limited
thermal conductivity. Existing heat is retained for longer in the room
than heat from other construction materials, while delayed cooling
reduces the amount of energy required. Wood is also lighter and more
energy-efficient to transport than mineral construction materials.
This project used approximately 3500 cbm of PEFC-certified spruce.

Through the intelligent combination of wood with concrete, the
modular hybrid solution from CREE-Buildings can save up to
50% CO2 per m² of floor area. Low construction weight, short
shell construction times, high reliability in planning and costs, and
long durability are other advantages of this construction method.
The construction materials used in EDGE Suedkreuz Berlin are
extensively recyclable using the principle of cradle-to-cradle
recycling. Reinforced-concrete construction elements were kept to a
minimum, being used for fire compartment separation or to stiffen
the building. Wood and hybrid-timber elements were installed as the
load-bearing framework, especially in the interior; concrete was used
for the foundations and basement. The wooden supports and beams
carry the building’s overall vertical loads. Compared to conventional
reinforced concrete construction, the weight of the building could
be reduced by up to 50% through the timber hybrid construction.
This also reduced the use of concrete for the foundation slab, which
had an additional positive effect on this new office complex’s CO2
balance.

The stairs in the atrium of the Carré are designed as a metal
construction in order to avoid unnecessary material consumption
with high timber cross-sections and costly metal substructure. The
design of the components responds directly to the strengths and
qualities of the respective materials, promotes the saving of the
resources used, and reduces the weight of the components. The roof

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