For the future of our children:
An office building
made of timber
The Cradle
The first timber hybrid office building
in Düsseldorf
The name says it all:
Designed according to the Cradle-to-Cradle® principle.
In the heart of the Düsseldorf
MedienHafen –
a place full of exceptional buildings and impressive architectural projects.
A leap of faith,
which we are delighted about:
The concept of The Cradle has already won several awards.
Cradle to Cradle®
The Cradle-to-
Cradle® principle
"Cradle" refers to the origin of a building material. The Cradle-to-Cradle® principle imitates nature: most used materials can be reused. There is virtually no waste generated during demolition, as many materials are recycled and made usable in another form. And the ecological idea goes even further: a Cradle-to-Cradle® building uses ecologically produced energy and also looks at the environmentally friendly production of building materials.
Why do we build according to the
Cradle-to-Cradle® principle?
More than half of the world's waste is produced by the construction industry. By changing this, we make an important contribution to the future of our children.
Everything remains in the cycle.
This applies to consumables such as packaging and cleaning agents, as well as durable goods such as flooring and ceiling lights.
The Cradle in detail
We're doing it like nature:
Good things come to those who wait.
Building according to the Cradle-to-Cradle® principle is a big challenge. For around four years, a team of architects, construction engineers, and specialist planners examined hundreds of measures - and selected the ones that were suitable for The Cradle. What impact does a building material have on air and water? Which devices save the most energy? What has a positive influence on well-being? Six categories were evaluated in total.
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Renewable energies
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Human & health
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Material quality & cycles
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Diversity
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Water
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Air quality
Building with timber - a benefit
for generations
Almost the entire facade of The Cradle is made of timber elements, which come exclusively from sustainable forestry in Europe. Wood replaces other materials such as concrete and plastic. It regulates humidity, promotes health for allergy and asthma sufferers, and emits warmth in winter and coolness in summer. Additionally, it calms the cardiovascular and nervous systems. Prof. Dr. Maximilian Moser from the University of Graz has found in studies that students in classrooms with solid timber furniture are much more relaxed than students in classrooms without timber. Their hearts beat around 8,600 times less per school day.
Improved breathing air -
inside and outside
To improve the air quality inside and outside a building, there are many options available. For example, in The Cradle, a PVC-free carpet is installed which filters out fine dust from the air during the day. It is disposed of during evening vacuuming. Planted walls on all floors also naturally purify and renew the air. And if the oxygen levels in the office do drop, a CO2 sensor warns and increases the fresh air supply.
The green roof even improves the climate in the MedienHafen. Additionally, it reduces the heating up of the city by storing rainwater and releasing it gradually.
By the way, in The Cradle we avoid all materials that are listed in the "Material Banned List of Chemicals".
That's roughly the same as traveling around the world by plane 224 times.
Reducing CO2 emissions even
during construction
The building materials used in The Cradle result in a 47 % reduction in CO2 emissions compared to conventional buildings. During operation, approximately 38 % of CO2 is saved.
The amount of CO2 saved during operation is equivalent to 9 million flight kilometers. Even if you exchanged two long-haul trips from Düsseldorf to Thailand or California each year for a sunny vacation at home, it would take you 210 years to save as much CO2.
Self-made electricity
A solar system on the roof converts sunlight into electricity, which can be used to charge the electric cars and e-bikes (electric bicycles) in The Cradle's underground garage. Unused electricity is fed back into the public grid and is available to the people of Düsseldorf.
Urban mobility for everyone
At The Cradle, tenants of the building and all neighbours can rent and return electric cars and e-bikes, reducing traffic in the MedienHafen and providing a quick and cost-effective alternative to owning a car. The vehicles can be easily booked at the service point in the foyer or through The Cradle app.
The passport for
the building
All components and measures are recorded in a building passport - so that even in 50 years, everyone knows what was installed when and where. Through a central interface, the passport is automatically updated with each replacement or modification of a building component.
Motivation
What drives us
We build high-quality buildings with a focus on the people who will use them. We believe that the buildings in which we live and work can have a positive impact on our health, well-being and performance. Even sick leave can be reduced through a pleasant work environment. And people who work in a comfortable environment are proven to enjoy coming to work.
The Cradle is a pioneering project for us. The knowledge and skills required to build a particularly sustainable building will be reflected in future projects. This is our contribution to reducing waste in the construction industry and improving our ecological footprint. And it is an investment in the future.
