Sophien-Carrée, Karlsruhe

A new neighbourhood for Karlsruhe's west city district

With the Sophien-Carrée project, a modern and lively urban neighbourhood was created in Karlsruhe's Weststadt district that combines living, community and sustainability. Three developers - the Schönau Foundation, Hans Eberhardt GmbH and the Catholic Church of All Saints - joined forces to create an attractive residential and living environment on an area of around 14,000 m². The project was complemented by the new Bonifatiushaus community centre with a children's day care centre. In total, around 100 rental flats, spacious green areas and rooms for socialising were created.

Neighbourhood development with a future

The Sophien-Carree project shows what a concept for sustainable urban development can look like. The three property owners pursued a common urban and open space design concept. In addition to a harmonious façade design, green spaces, playgrounds and an open walkway were created. Since completion, the site offers around 20 % more green space than before - a plus for quality of life and climate.

Sub-project 1: Refurbishment and redensification - Weinbrennerstraße 12

A centrepiece of Sophien-Carrée was the refurbishment and redensification of Weinbrennerstraße 12, where two new apartment blocks with a total of 18 residential units were built. The existing front building was partially demolished for the construction of an underground car park, thoroughly modernised and extended from 13 to 18 flats. In the inner courtyard, two new urban villas, each with nine residential units, complete the offer. This means that Weinbrennerstr. 12 now has 36 residential units. A shared underground car park with 19 parking spaces was built beneath the new buildings.

The construction period lasted from November 2022 to August 2024. With a gross floor area of 5,220 m² and a gross volume of 15,614 m³, the project was an example of sustainable redensification. Compared to demolition, retaining the existing building saved considerable amounts of CO₂. The building was also integrated into the district heating network. The project achieved DGNB "Sustainable Building Site" certification.

Sub-project 2: New building in timber hybrid construction - Schillerstraße 52, 52 a & b

Another highlight was the construction of three new apartment blocks in timber hybrid construction at Schillerstraße 52, 52a and 52b. Here, 22 residential units were built on a shared underground car park with 29 parking spaces. The construction method combined reinforced concrete for the underground car park and staircase cores with timber frame construction for the exterior walls and visible cross-laminated timber ceilings. The timber construction work comprised 1,300 m² of exterior walls and 535 m³ of load-bearing interior walls. This construction method stands for resource conservation and modern design.
The construction period ran from June 2023 to July 2024. With a gross floor area of 4,165 m² and a gross volume of 13,150 m³, the project is further proof of sustainable construction.

Sub-project 3: Community centre and daycare centre - Schillerstrasse 46

The third sub-project is the new community centre of the parish of St. Boniface with a six-group daycare centre. The shell was built between June 2023 and March 2024. The modern flat-roofed building with three or five storeys replaced a building from the post-war period that was in serious need of renovation. On a floor area of 17 x 37 metres and a height of 18 metres, rooms were created for the parish administration, a library and the "St. Lioba" daycare centre.
Particular challenges lay in integrating the different uses into the given building structure and implementing an efficient, sustainable energy concept.

A neighbourhood for generations

Today, Sophien-Carrée stands for sustainable urban development, modern architecture and community living. With around 150 new flats, a community centre, a kindergarten and spacious green areas, a place has been created that enriches Karlsruhe's Weststadt district and meets the needs of families, senior citizens and singles alike.