Located in the protected area of Kreuzberg's Luisenstadt district, the Wilhelminian style residential building dates from 1898 and comprises 48 residential units. The sensitive and socially compatible refurbishment of the historic building took place while it was still lived in. This required intensive and direct communication with the tenants. At their request, modernisation measures were not carried out in the flats in order to minimise financial burdens. In the future, individual flats that become vacant will be gradually refurbished in keeping with the official Milieu Protection Guidelines. Work on the Wilhelminian-style apartment building to date includes repair work on the façade, renovation of the stairwells and utilities, and an extensive courtyard renovation in cooperation with Grieger Harzer landscape architects. A specific focus of the project is the conversion of the roof space into additional residential units, spanning a total of 780 square metres.
During the renovation of the façade and balconies of the building, existing windows were retained and partially repaired. A lift was added to the residential building to ensure the accessibility of the attic floor. The four staircases were also renovated. Apart from functional zones, such as bicycle parking spaces and rubbish facilities, particular attention was paid to creating quality amenity areas during the courtyard renovation. A play area as well as the planting of new trees and green spaces make an ecological contribution this highly built-up urban area.
When converting the roof space into additional residential units, the shape of the house facing the street was preserved, meaning it could blend into the existing pattern of rooftops. Simple, large-format dormers and courtyard-side roof terraces lend the roof a contemporary look that sensitively blends into the surroundings. The large-scale slanted dormer windows and additional skylights allow in plenty of daylight, creating bright rooms and a sense of spaciousness in the three rooftop rental units. An additional terrace offers an unobstructed view over Berlin's rooftops.
The 280-square-metre corner flat comprises a freestanding cube, concealing the chimneys running through the room and integrating the kitchen, bathroom and fireplace into one element. Rotated by 45 degrees, the playful element creates a new focus in the space. The cube divides the area into more intimate and open zones. When designing the family flat, fixtures such as the kitchen, cupboards, sitting areas and children's bunk beds were also planned and created. Distinctive living spaces are forged by the interplay of white walls, warm wooden surfaces with dark blue colour accents as well as plenty of daylight. High-quality and natural materials such as oak wood, terrazzo and furniture linoleum give the space a homely feel. Hand-blown lamps above the large dining table are part of Studio de Schutter's lighting concept. The minimal and timeless look of the flat with its clean contours is enhanced by finely crafted details.