kupa-Quartier Kuvertfabrik Pasing, Munich

This development comprises five new buildings constructed around a former envelope factory in Munich’s Pasing neighborhood. In the new buildings, there are 167 apartments as well as retail and commercial units.

The former envelope factory is the centerpiece of the new development at the end of the main boulevard leading from the center of Pasing. A defining feature of the neighborhood since it was built in 1909, the factory has been renovated in line with historic preservation guidelines. We retrofitted the interior to create modern offices that meet today’s workplace standards and blend seamlessly into the historic fabric of the original structure.

In keeping with the sharing economy, the concept for the new residential buildings includes common areas and amenities that all residents can use. A bicycle repair shop, a communal kitchen, a package delivery and drop-off station, a rooftop garden and a spacious bike garage are as integral to the concept as the cargo and electric bike sharing system. There is a full-time caretaker available on site to provide assistance of all kinds for residents.

The exterior of the new buildings varies based on their orientation, facing either the rest of the complex or the street. All interior façades have a quiet, objective look and feel, while a pattern of bay window protrusions gives the urban-facing façades a more sculptural quality – and this striking frontage promises to become synonymous with the new neighborhood. For the residents, the asymmetrical protruding alcoves expand the living space from within and provide 270-degree views of the cityscape. This enhances both the cosmopolitan flair of the apartments as well as the perceived sense of space.