The "Nordlichter" residential complex in Jena, with a total of 343 apartments owned by the Carl Zeiss eG housing cooperative, meets all the requirements of modern living. "Nordlichter III," a further construction phase comprising nine buildings, was completed in 2021. All 135 apartments feature a balcony or terrace. In collaboration with the Erfurt-based landscape architects of "plandrei," the Weimar-based architectural firm Schettler & Partner was responsible for the project planning. The balconies and terraces were covered with NaturinForm's Compact solid planks in a special black-brown color. A total of 750 square meters of this plank from the portfolio of the Bavarian specialist for wood composite materials were used here.

Lifelong cooperative living in the “Northern Lights”

Under the leadership of the Carl Zeiss housing cooperative (WG) between 2008 and 2021, the three "Nordlichter" residential quarters were created, each designed as an urban yet nature-oriented neighborhood. The first cooperatives were founded in Thuringia as early as 1862, and the WG Carl Zeiss focuses on providing good, safe, and socially responsible housing for its members. Residents do not enter into a rental agreement, but rather a long-term use contract with cooperative protection of tenancy rights. The wide variety of floor plans and apartment sizes make lifelong living in the "Nordlichter" possible. The four- and five-story residential buildings are grouped around traffic-free courtyards with plenty of greenery. The mix of apartments of varying sizes allows for complete independence, but also communal living experiences in keeping with the cooperative philosophy.

Architectural concept: residential courtyards as a connecting element

"The urban structure of the 'Nordlichter II' project, featuring alternating motifs of point and row houses, was further developed here as the idea of 'living around a courtyard,'" explains Dr. Anke Schettler, partner of the architectural firm Schettler & Partner. Compact townhouses and elongated, row-shaped buildings, predominantly four to five stories high, are grouped in a mixed arrangement around several residential courtyards connected by a semi-public network of paths. Apartment typologies, apartment sizes, and amenities were designed to meet the needs of families.

The residential courtyards are the connecting element of the complex. The outdoor areas are divided into circulation areas, areas for communal recreational use, and private terraces and front gardens. The design of the buildings reflects the basic concept of the "Nordlichter II" district. The Point Houses I feature a strongly sculptural form, structured by projections and recesses such as bay windows, balconies, and terraces. The elongated rows of houses and the Point Houses II, in contrast, feature calm, distinctly functional facades, structured only by balconies suspended from the ground at certain points. Together, they form the design backdrop for the Point Houses I; their stone-colored plaster emphasizes their understated character.

Solid floorboards from NaturinForm laid on balconies and terraces

"The 'Nordlichter' are among the largest residential construction projects to have been built in Thuringia in recent years," explains Lutz Saupe. The owner of the long-established roofing company from Hirschfeld near Gera has worked for the WG Carl Zeiss for many years. As a thriving technology center with major local companies, it is also the city's responsibility to offer attractive apartments at reasonable rents, says Lutz Saupe. Here, the "Nordlichter" project is an extremely successful example of high-quality housing at affordable prices. Together with his team, Saupe installed NaturinForm's Compact solid floorboards on 72 balconies and terraces in the summer of 2020.

Compact convinces architects and clients

"Together with the architectural firm Schettler & Partner, which was responsible for the project, we conducted intensive consultations and sample meetings with a number of renowned manufacturers," says Sven Steinhäuser, who works as a technical project manager for WG Carl Zeiss. At the same time, the project managers relied on the expert expertise of Lutz Saupe. In the end, NaturinForm prevailed over competing products, and the choice fell on the solid floorboard Compact in the custom color black-brown.

Special requirements for the substructure

The decisive factor in choosing Compact was the fact that this material best met the requirements for technical and design equivalence to the originally specified brand. This also involved a change in the substructure, as the previously installed decking also included WPC profiles in various heights. Since the decking was being installed on a subfloor with a gradient of at least 2 percent and a barrier-free terrace exit also had to be achieved, the different heights were implemented using NaturinForm aluminum profiles. The considerable height differences of up to half a meter presented a particular challenge for the installers. "Not least because of this construction situation with the height differences that had to be overcome, we were called upon as an experienced tradesman," says Lutz Saupe. When constructing the substructure and installing the decking, the manufacturer's specifications had to be strictly adhered to in order to ensure a permanently functioning decking. The sometimes considerable difference in height between the ground level and the connection to the apartments was compensated with concrete slabs in combination with the “XL” terrace feet, also supplied by NaturinForm.

Well-thought-out overall package guarantees a functioning surface

The patio feet with click function were designed by NaturinForm specifically for patio substructures. They are used to compensate for uneven surfaces and can be used on any surface. Available in various sizes, heights can be adjusted from 3.3 to 21.8 centimeters. The polypropylene patio feet are infinitely adjustable and self-leveling. The manufacturer's complete package also includes the grooved aluminum patio floor grate; this is used as a drainage grate and guarantees good cross-ventilation when the joint profile hose is used. It also serves as a decorative finish. It is installed in place of the first plank directly along the window front and thus also protects against rising water during driving rain.

After completing the balconies and terraces, Lutz Saupe expressed his satisfaction with his team's performance. The clients also drew a positive conclusion. "The floorboards and substructure were installed very expertly and professionally by the installer," says Sven Steinhäuser. "This requires very thorough planning in close coordination between the installer and the architect to adequately consider all connection points and interfaces."

Maintenance-free, weather-resistant and (slip) safe

The visual similarity to the previously laid material, as well as a functional substructure in light of the structural challenges, were the deciding factors in Jena for continuing work with the NaturinForm system of substructure and planks. At the same time, aspects such as maintenance-free design, durability, weather resistance, and, above all, slip resistance spoke in favor of the planks from the Bavarian specialist's product range. Thus, Compact was chosen as a maintenance-free and slip-resistant flooring that ensures secure grip even in damp and wet conditions. With its finely grooved surface, it guarantees one of the highest levels of slip resistance at R12, while the block-striped surface achieves the highest R13.

Professional for sustainable outdoor surfaces

NaturinForm specializes in intelligent solutions for outdoor flooring and profiles. The wood composite materials are manufactured at the plant in Redwitz an der Rodach, Upper Franconia: a material that combines the visual properties of traditional construction timber with the durability of a technical polymer. During production, the wood fibers are combined with an environmentally friendly, single-variety thermoplastic polymer in such a way that it forms a protective coating around each individual fiber. Because the polymer itself is completely water-repellent, no water can penetrate the finished plank – while retaining the visual and thermal properties of wood. A major advantage for areas around damp and wet areas: the material does not swell or rot, nor does it splinter or become slippery. Municipalities and public investors, who are increasingly demanding sustainable products in their tenders, therefore prefer NaturinForm.

Climate-neutral production and resource conservation

Climate protection and resource conservation are top priorities for the manufacturer. For the certified climate-neutral production of its wood composite materials, the Franconian company relies exclusively on wood fibers from domestic and sustainable forestry (PEFC-certified wood suppliers). This means no additional trees are felled for this process; the wood fibers are a byproduct of the wood processing industry. All products are also 100 percent recyclable; after use, the company takes back the boards after inspection and returns them to the production process.

All NaturinForm decking and façade profiles are subject to Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) prepared in accordance with international standards. Each product is continuously subjected to internal and external quality controls and stress tests to ensure consistently flawless, first-class wood-based material quality. Furthermore, thanks to the use of sustainable raw materials, all products are fully recyclable and, after testing, can be returned to the manufacturer for further processing.