MVRDV's plans for the revitalisation of a former US army barracks will breathe new life and welcome a new era for the Franklin Mitte neighbourhood in Mannheim, Germany. This 144-hectare site will be homely and offer mixed typologies and developments; it is set to include a central 'hub', a green hill made from demolished barracks buildings offering a panoramic view of the new developments, housing within it a programme of shops, restaurants, cafes and community spaces.

The letters H-O-M-E offered the perfect solution for creating a shape that was both symbolic and could also provide the required housing needed. Around each building is a plaza created in the shape of the projected shadow of the letter, its size determined by local regulations that call for a certain distance between neighbouring buildings. This imprint of the letter cuts through both old and new buildings, juxtaposing the site's rigid history with these contemporary structures.