Max Dudler, who has previously designed projects as Heidelberg Castle's Visitor Centre and the previouly reconstruction and extension of the Hambach Castle, designing facilities for these fortified sites in Germany.
Hambach Castle originated as a Roman hilltop settlement, but also provided the venue for the foundation of the German democracy movement when it hosted the Hambacher Fest of 1832 – a political festival disguised as a county fair. In 2004, the Swiss architect won a competition to renovate the building and its grounds, with the aim to make it more attractive and accessible to tourists.
The first two phases involved restoring the castle and wrapping a contemporary restaurant around one side. This, the third and final phase, was to create an ancillary building on the outer northern perimeter of the grounds. Max Dudler chose local Leistadt sandstone for the walls and roof of the entrance building, creating an affinity with the historic structures.
"Derived from the archetypical basic shape, the building effectively follows the site's curved morphology and develops an apparently spontaneous and offset geometry," said Dudler's studio in a statement. "This 'trick' made it possible to adapt the building's considerable volume... At the same time its special geometry becomes a motor for the design's sculptural vibrancy."
Every window is the same size, creating a rhythm across each of the walls, and glazing is set back so that it reveals the thickness of the stone.
Inside, the ground floor contains a small information centre where visitors can buy tickets, while the upper level is occupied by the offices of the castle's foundation and the company that manages the building. Both levels feature built-in wooden joinery that creates storage along the walls. Walls and ceilings are painted white.
The building was opened in an official ceremony last 3 November.
