The act of insulating buildings represents a primordial strategies to improve our ability to withstand thermal conditions beyond our ideal temperature range. This spans from the use of clothing to the modern development of insulation materials.

The utilization of insulation materials has seen significant growth, particularly in response to the realization of the finite and scarce nature of resources and energy since the 1970s. Since that pivotal period, stone wool has been extensively employed, embodying innovation and sustainability by enhancing energy efficiency. However, at the end of its service life, the material itself invariably ends up in landfills, due to insufficient initiatives to reclaim the fully recyclable potential of stone wool.

By establishing a stone wool recovery infrastructure at the former Güterbahnhof, it becomes feasible to ensure that the material no longer requires disposal but can instead be repurposed.

The project also prompts the question of how we can better care for a material typically concealed within our walls, appreciating not only its technical performance but also recognizing its value as a building component. Seeking new values, forms of authenticity, and a renewed identity for our second skin.