0162 Terrassenhaus Berlin
200best ES
Brandlhuber+ Emde, Burlon
b+
Muck Petzet Architekten
2018
Type
Mixed
Tags
new housing blocks, mixed of uses regained , 200Best
Visitability
Allowed
Description
This project is the result of a unique urban planning and regulatory situation. The building is situated between a turn-of-the-century residential building, a railway line and a road, on a site zoned for commercial use. At the same time, a grandfather clause ensures that the area remains essentially residential. In keeping with this context, the building is in the form of a ziggurat, with large south-facing terraces, accessible to the public via large staircases running along all levels on both sides. The interiors are open-plan and all lead out to the terraces. The internal spatial indeterminacy responds to the need to accommodate both residential and commercial uses, and the facilities are pre-established for this purpose. The building ends in a party wall, which offers the image of an abandoned concrete structure that appears to have been spontaneously occupied. This is in line with Berlin’s tradition of squatted cultural centres. The boundary between private and public, inside and outside, is blurred in this building, marked by a large curtain that moves with the wind and is an important part of its formal expression.