A wood deck that can withstand Hamburg’s rainy climate and also resist wind at a height of 100 meters is a structural challenge. However, the Hamburg School Authority wanted a rooftop terrace to provide employees with fresh air—without having to go down from the 17th floor. The solution was found by Jan Klinker Architekten: “The selection of woods for this purpose is not very large, as the durability must also correspond to the construction effort,” explains architect Sven Gabelenz. The choice fell on Kebony.
The widely visible, approximately 100-meter-high high-rise buildings “Mundsburg Towers” were built in the early 1970s. Gabelenz: “For the planned rooftop terrace, in addition to the longevity of the decking boards, a special substructure had to be created because the wind load at this height is considerable.”