In a construction period of 18 months, the "new pawnshop" built in 1891-94 by the ducal building councillor Ernst Wiehe in neo-Gothic style, including parts of the neighbouring former Pauline monastery, was completely overhauled and extended to the district government by the construction of the new 3-storey, elliptical customer hall in the former inner courtyard.

The light entrance and the vibrant wave ceiling are the architectural prelude to the 3-storey open hall with elliptical ceiling openings and adjoining open galleries on the 1st and 2nd floors.

North German Regional Bank

Location

Dankwardstrasse, Braunschweig / Germany

Client

Nord/LB Norddeutsche Landesbank, Braunschweig

Size

11.400 m²

Year

2005

The elliptical, "stone "market place" on the ground floor is the new centre for customers, various events such as reception, property exchange, small concerts etc., flexibly designed for future use.the vertical development in the ellipse is clearly visible through the space forming element spiral staircase consisting of an oil pipeline pipe with welded, folded steel steps and glass parapet to the floors. The upper end is formed by the elliptical glass roof, 22x30m, as a suspended cable net construction with frameless glazing, which makes the outside world perceptible inside as well (you can see the sun, passing clouds and thus shadows, easily hear the rain as in a market place.

Picture Credits: Klemens Ortmeyer, Hannover