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linda@c-u-b-e.net

c u b e
Circularity in the Built Environment
Büro für Zirkularität im Bauwesen
Detmolder Straße 39, 33813 Oerlinghausen
info@c-u-b-e.net

Gesellschaft des bürgerlichen Rechts
Architect (Member of Architetenkammer NRW, No 107943)
Tax ID according to §27s UStG: DE 267264720

Homepage Design Franziska Sander und Jana Topel (ag16)
Homepage Programming Malte Michels

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As the publisher of this website, c u b e is responsible for content on these pages in accordance with the general laws pursuant to DDG. However, we are not obliged to monitor transmitted or stored third-party information or to investigate circumstances that indicate illegal activity.

Obligations to remove or block the use of information in accordance with general legislation remain unaffected by this. However, liability in this respect is only possible from the time of knowledge of a specific infringement. As soon as we become aware of such infringements, we will remove this content immediately.

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Focus school and road traffic office district of Viersen

Focus school and road traffic office in Viersen, Germany (Image: Ponnie images)

Perspective view of road traffic office building (Image: ARGE Heiermann Architekten/FMG)

Perspective view of the learning corner (Image: ARGE Heiermann Architekten/FMG)

Post-use potential (Image: c u b e / ARGE HA+FMG)

Focus school and road traffic office district of Viersen

year 2019–2025
team Fritzen + Müller-Giebeler Architekten, HEIERMANN Architekten, Knüvener Architekturlandschaft, Kempen Krause Ingenieure
performance profile New construction

The city of Viersen decided to build focus school and office for road traffic on one site which is in close proximity to the city archive in Viersen. The assignment included an urban planning which develops the evolved structure of the neighbourhood further while balancing architectural and environmental qualities. The requirements regarding circularity where specified by the client’s goal to have the operation and construction assessed to be climate neutral and have a concept for circularity presented. Fritzen+Müller-Giebeler and Heiermann Architects developed a design where the two functions (focus school, FS and road traffic office, RTH) are located in two separate buildings. While the RTH sits one east corner of the site as a rectangular monolith, the footprint of the SF is an angel framing a school yard located on the west part of the site. The gymnasium is an addition to this angel shape on the northwest corner of the school. The design of the buildings was developed in 3D and BIM was used to prepare all necessary information for the calculations in different stages. In the BIM execution plan environmental assessments were integrated. In early design stages the construction typology was defined to be a wood structure with earth materials in two variations, adobe and clay building boards depending on the functional requirements. In the design and engineering process all details were assessed for suitability by representatives of their discipline. c u b e’s assignment included a LCA and a demolition concept for all main building components. Whenever variations were developed, the environmental performance was evaluated as well. Based on this an evaluation of the entire building was made to calculate the environmental performance of the building substance to document that more greenhouse gas emissions are stored in the construction than emitted due to the production of the building. This included building services as well as outdoor surfaces.

about

c u b e is consultancy firm working on a built environment within planetary boundaries. This includes an array of activities such as integrating environmental aspects into the design process, developing resource-conscious strategies and processes, refurbishment design, tools for comparison, competitions entries and jury participation, feasibility studies, exhibitions, education and initiatives. Founded in Berlin in 2008 by Linda Hildebrand, c u b e is supporting ministries, universities, architects and engineers, industry and NGOs.

Linda Hildebrand (director), a trained architect with a PhD from TU Delft, worked as Professor for Reuse in Architecture at RWTH Aachen University from 2014 to 2025. She co-founded Concular in 2020, a platform offering services to promote reuse in the construction industry, where she continues to contribute as an external advisor. Linda is deeply engaged in professional associations. She initiated and coordinates the educator's network for Architects for Future and serves as a member of the expert group ZukunftBau at the Federal Office for Building and Regional Planning (BBSR). Additionally, she is part of the Committee for Life Cycle and Circular Building at the German Green Building Council (DGNB). In the Initiative Housing 2050 (IW2050), she leads the group on circularity alongside Joost Hartwig (ina mbH) and Timo Ernst (sustainable AG). Furthermore, in 2022, she co-founded CircuClarity with Lisa Rammig, an initiative dedicated to advancing climate neutrality and circularity within the glass industry.

Elisa Berker (researcher) is an architect focusing on circular construction and earthen building. With degrees from TU Dortmund and the University of Arts Linz, she works with c-u-b-e on developing ERUB, a decision-support tool for take-back systems in the construction industry. Alongside her research, she shares expertise as a certified earth building specialist through workshops, consulting, and craft with CLAYA.

Kim Ha Tran (project collaborator) graduated in Architecture at RWTH Aachen University in 2021. She worked in architecture offices in Germany and Beijing while teaching and researching at the chair of Reuse in Architecture at RWTH Aachen University from 2021 to 2024. During that time she was part of the founding team for the university educators network „Gemeinsam für die Bauwende“. She contributed to various research projects such as ReNeReB, a Regional Resource Efficient Building Network, and the ZukunftBau- funded project Material Recovery Rights. In her research she specialized in regulatory instruments for circularity in the built environment, building material passports, and residual values within building materials.

Elias Kufeld (project collaborator) graduated in Architecture at RWTH Aachen University in 2024. After finishing his Bachelor (2021) he worked in an architectural office in Switzerland before he continued his Master in Aachen and Madrid, while working as a research Assistant at the Chair for Reuse in Aachen from 2022-2024. Currently he fills a part time position as Research Associate at the Design Computation Chair at RWTH Aachen, contributing to the further development of a LCA Tool with open BIM Standards. As part of the Backoffice of Architcts4Future he is advising project groups as well as processing external inquiries. In his research he specialized in Life Cycle Assessment, building material passports, and the Re-Use of building components.