Braubachstrasse 31, Frankfurt





The house at Braubachstrasse 31 is a unique case within the Dom-Römer area. Its neighboring "twin building" survived war damage and demolition, allowing it, together with preserved drawings and photographs, to serve as a reference for the work of architect Hermann Senf from 1913.
Analysis revealed two key design aspects: the façade's construction and its proportions. The façade of the preserved building had been refinished, making the historical construction in exposed concrete recognizable only upon closer inspection. However, the proportions, Art Nouveau ornaments, and structural elements of the elevations were retained and could be used as references for adaptive reconstruction. These elements were simplified and reinterpreted, creating a relief on the homogeneous concrete surface.
The exposed concrete façade of the building—standing out in a quarter otherwise dominated by half-timbered houses—harkens back to an architecture from the 1920s and 1930s that has often been overlooked in the shadow of "classical" modernism. The gable is adorned with the maxim: "Das Neue stürzt und altes Leben blüht aus den Ruinen" ("The new collapses, and old life blooms from the ruins"), a loose adaptation of Schiller's quote from Wilhelm Tell.
The new building integrates seamlessly into the row of houses and forms a unit with its neighbor, while subtly acknowledging its creation in 2017.
Analysis revealed two key design aspects: the façade's construction and its proportions. The façade of the preserved building had been refinished, making the historical construction in exposed concrete recognizable only upon closer inspection. However, the proportions, Art Nouveau ornaments, and structural elements of the elevations were retained and could be used as references for adaptive reconstruction. These elements were simplified and reinterpreted, creating a relief on the homogeneous concrete surface.
The exposed concrete façade of the building—standing out in a quarter otherwise dominated by half-timbered houses—harkens back to an architecture from the 1920s and 1930s that has often been overlooked in the shadow of "classical" modernism. The gable is adorned with the maxim: "Das Neue stürzt und altes Leben blüht aus den Ruinen" ("The new collapses, and old life blooms from the ruins"), a loose adaptation of Schiller's quote from Wilhelm Tell.
The new building integrates seamlessly into the row of houses and forms a unit with its neighbor, while subtly acknowledging its creation in 2017.
Client:
Dom-Römer GmbH
Total construction costs: 2,700,000 euros
» Project page Dom Römer
Location:
Braubachstrasse 29
60311 Frankfurt
Data:
HGF 739.3 m2
Gross floor area: 997.91 m2
Gross cubic capacity: 3,949.20 m3
Publications:
Die immer Neue Altstadt, » JOVIS Verlag
The New Old Town, » Sozietäts Verlag
Dom-Römer GmbH
Total construction costs: 2,700,000 euros
» Project page Dom Römer
Location:
Braubachstrasse 29
60311 Frankfurt
Data:
HGF 739.3 m2
Gross floor area: 997.91 m2
Gross cubic capacity: 3,949.20 m3
Publications:
Die immer Neue Altstadt, » JOVIS Verlag
The New Old Town, » Sozietäts Verlag