With a total budget of €588 million, the Karlsruhe Kombilösung is the city’s largest infrastructure project to date, comprising the pedestrianization and light rail tunnel of Kaiserstraße and the boulevard-like transformation of Kriegsstraße with an underground car tunnel.

The Information Pavilion, realized through a limited competition in 2008, is positioned at Ettlinger Tor, directly above the intersection of the tram and car tunnel works. Serving as both a public gateway and event space, it provides exhibitions, gatherings, and visitor orientation throughout and beyond the construction phase. The site belongs to the extended grounds of the Badisches Staatstheater, which will use the pavilion as a chamber theatre and for other cultural events once the project is completed.

The design takes a sculptural approach: a tower oriented to the intersection marks the site, while a rotated, transparent metal façade ensures a light, unpretentious presence. Two observation platforms offer panoramic city views and future glimpses into the construction pit below. The tower is accessible internally and via a stepped, walkable roof ramp, which doubles as a public terrace. During the 2010 FIFA World Cup, this terrace functioned as a public viewing area for all matches.

The pavilion’s program—exhibition, event, and meeting spaces, café/bistro, offices, and ancillary rooms—is entirely at ground level, allowing flexible, combinable arrangements. The café/bistro’s transparency integrates the adjacent outdoor spaces into everyday use.

Sustainability is central to the design: the building complies with the 2009 EnEV energy standards and is fully supplied by a renewable wood pellet system.
Materials and detailing reinforce the pavilion’s identity: a lightweight metal and glass façade conveys transparency, while the sculptural tower signals the project’s presence in the urban landscape without resorting to monumentality.

Awards: BDA Auszeichnung 2011
Auszeichnung Beispielhaftes Bauen Stadt Karlsruhe 2005-2012