With SBP, Stuttgart

The monumental marble court fountain conceived in the 1650s by an Italian sculptor is known as the “largest baroque fountain North of the Alps” (height: 15 m) and the focal point of the Residenzplatz, the former court square.

The transparent winter shelter is composed of a twelve-sided obtuse cone with concave surfaces striving upwards in a parabolic curve. It is a clear but dynamic form responding to the baroque vocabulary of the fountain while blending into the urban context of the Renaissance square.

The structure is composed of only 4 girders (d 150 mm) appearing like “standing cables” and a net of vertical and horizontal cables allowing for a maximum of transparency. The search for transparency marks the sensible approach to the listed historic monument.
Designed for temporary use, this light construction can be set up and dismantled easily.

The choice of valuable and durable materials (highly transparent acrylic glass panels, steal cables) matches the prestigious architectural context.