Sparkasse Südholstein, Neumünster

Transforming a vacant Karstadt department store into a lively new destination in the city center.

Escalators, shelving and discount signs are now a thing of the past. The former Karstadt department store in Neumünster was built in stages between the 1950s and 1970s. It has now been transformed into a modern Sparkasse branch. A library, restaurants and outdoor spaces bring additional life to the site and help create a more vibrant city center.

Drees & Sommer supported Sparkasse Südholstein throughout this complex revitalization and conversion project, providing project management, consulting, and planning services.

Refurbishment instead of demolition – making existing buildings work harder

To create modern layouts, Sparkasse Südholstein stripped back parts of the former department store while retaining the existing structure. A new fourth floor was added in steel, the façades were completely renewed and hazardous materials inside and outside the building were safely removed. The concrete structure also needed extensive repair, including sprayed concrete remediation. In the basement, an internal watertight concrete system now protects the building from moisture.

Drees & Sommer used Lean Site Management to keep the complex city-center construction site efficient, stable and well-coordinated. The team also supported Sparkasse Südholstein with tendering and procurement, construction management, façade engineering, cost and schedule control, mobility consulting, and sustainable building consultancy. By adapting the existing building instead of replacing it with a new one, Sparkasse Südholstein conserved resources and reduced embodied carbon. Much of the energy that would have gone into producing and transporting new building components was avoided. The photovoltaic system on the roof now allows the bank to generate part of its own electricity, while the green roofs help improve the urban microclimate.

The new office areas are designed for today’s working world, with digital and smart infrastructure that supports hybrid working and encourages a stronger sense of shared culture.

Added value

• Sustainable refurbishment of an existing building, conserving resources by retaining the structural frame and reducing primary energy use and the CO₂ footprint
• A modern working environment designed to encourage collaboration

Services

• Consulting services including corporate real estate consulting, procurement strategy consulting, green building consulting, mobility concept consulting, and digitalization consulting
• Feasibility study and 360-degree analysis
• Project management and project control
• Façade engineering
• Lean Site Management
• Facility management during planning and construction
• Consulting, tendering, procurement, and implementation support for media technology

“We made a conscious decision to build sustainably – not on a greenfield site, but in the middle of the city, while preserving the existing structure. For us, sustainability means preserving resources while creating a place that brings people together.”

Eduard Schlett, Member of the Management Board, Sparkasse Südholstein
 

“Stable processes, clean interfaces, and a strong team were essential, especially given the complexity of the project and its city-center location. The outstanding team spirit among everyone involved was one of the decisive success factors.”

Dirk Burmeister, Senior Team Leader, Drees & Sommer