Kolbermoor, a small town in Bavaria, about 65 km south-east of Munich at the foot of the Alps, began to expand in the nineteenth century, when a spinning mill and other industrial enterprises settled there and attracted a large workforce. The spinning mill closed down in the nineties of the 20th century and the buildings were no longer used. A few years later the client Quest Immobilien came up with plans to convert the listed industrial complex into an urban district with high-end residential buildings, shops, gastronomy and facilities for cultural events.
The combination of old industrial architecture, new buildings and abundant greenery certainly offers the potential for an attractive new location with a distinctive character.
The “Quest Forum” is the center of the new quarter, creating a series of open public event spaces running throughout the complex. It is composed of the courtyard in front of the old powerhouse and provides space for open-air concerts, exhibitions and markets. A net-like rope structure with both temporary and permanent membrane coverings serves as a trellis and accentuates the place. The net structure is an allusion to weaving and refers to the history of the place. Though it provides a certain degree of shelter, it is rather a filigree floating structure than a roof, designed as a point of reference and identification.
