A novel concept was sought for the historical location of Kaiserpfalzquartier in Goslar’s UNESCO-listed old town. The area has been subject to diverse unrealised planning approaches over the years. The strategic claim of the redesign was therefore to reconcile numerous and even contradictory demands, which structure the space – such as wishes of Goslar’s citizens, qualified requirements of the monument protection, interests of potential builders, and general urban development potentials.

Our design embraces this variety and formulates a clear vision for the site which aims for a balanced combination of build structure and open space as well as the private and public realm. The new outdoor facilities of Kaiserpfalzquartier occupy the terracing structure of the existing building’s design, whilst at various levels, differentiated zoning of areas with diverse functions and utilisation programs emerge.

The grounds include the hotel’s multi-level outdoor areas with a conference hall and spa, walkable courtyards, and a greened roof terrace. The green spaces, which surround the main building, lead in ascending height around the building and reach seven meters in the southwest of the plot compared to the northeast entrance. The softly elevating terrain also creates seamless access to the higher terrace, where an informal room program is created by different intensities of vegetation and floor coverings. A new bus station connects the new site to the municipal transport system.