Loft new-build with glass facade beside ornate historic brick building
The property is in the immediate vicinity of an ornately decorated historic brick edifice and the former building of the federation of trade unions, which was planned by Bruno Taut. With a south-facing facade 40 meters long, the new structure is oriented to the former Luisenstadt Canal, which was later made into an attractive park and included in the state’s list of protected monuments.
Built between the River Spree and the Landwehr Canal in the mid-1800s, the Luisenstadt Canal primarily served as a route to transport building material for the new district of Luisenstadt being built at the time. Development of the area was completed at the start of the 20th century. Inspired by the Prussian landscape architect and urban planner Peter Joseph Lenné, the canal was converted to a green space under the supervision of Erwin Barth, Greater Berlin’s newly appointed city park director.
Engelbecken, located a short distance from the residential complex, was kept as a body of water and today, with its fountains, reed belt and adjacent rose garden, is an idyllic spot for leisurely strolls or to relax and unwind in “Café am Engelbecken”.
Completed in 2013, the loft building features transparent facades, sliding panels, exposed concrete and spacious balconies. Solid wood parquet, natural stone and stainless steel were used in the interior.
YEAR OF CONSTRUCTION
2013 (completion)
UNITS
55 apartments (46-255 m²)
1 commercial unit (400 m²)
25 car parking spaces in underground garage
SIZE
5800 m² of residential and commercial space
DISTINCTIVE BUILDING FEATURES
Flexible floor plans, room ventilation with waste heat recovery system, south- and west-facing balconies, triple-glazed insulation glass
PLANNING
HKA Hastrich Keuthage Architekten