Archipuncture MUHRBECK ANDREAS MUHS

ARTIST VILLAGE (2008) BAUGRUPPE ZUR BÖRSE (2010) Architect: Beyer-Schubert Architekten Architect: Müllers büro 1 Address: Alice-und-Hella-Hirsch-Ring 6 Address: Thaerstrasse 27 LEUCHTTURM (2009) & Glasbläserallee Alt-Stralau Architect: Mohr+Winterer Architekten and new qualities 11 Address: Pappelallee 43 ANDREA KROTH

TEN IN ONE (2005) Architect: Roedig Schop Architekten 16 Address: Anklamer Strasse 52 WERNER HUTHMACHER

BÜRGERSTADT PAPPELALLEE BERND BORCHARDT (2009) STADTGRÜN GBR (2009 & 2011) E3 (2008) 12 Architect: Stefan Tebroke & Carlo Calderan Address: Pappelallee 19 – 20 Baugruppen are hot in . On billboards at many places Architect: Keinert Büsching Architekten Architect: Kaden Klingbeil Architekten in the city one can read how holes in the urban fabric are being 2 Address: Hoffmannstrasse 2-5-7 Alt Treptow 7 Address: Esmarchstrasse 3 filled with new residential blocks. Vincent Kompier takes us on a tour of these buildings of joint interest. WOHNETAGEN (2004) Architect: carpaneto.schöningh.architekten Address: Steinstrasse 26 – 28 BERLIN (DE) — TEXT: VINCENT KOMPIER, ILLUSTRATION: HARMEN VAN DER HORST 17

A Baugruppe is a group of people who jointly purchase Between 2002 and 2008, around 100 projects with without any sense of architecture were built. The revival WOHNEN AN DER MARIE (2007) a plot and, without an architect and developer, ar- a total of 1300 residences were built in Baugruppen. of Baugruppen in the last decade has a particularly Berlin Architect: Arnold und Galdisch Architekten ranges for its development. Because they carry out Currently, the construction cranes are working overtime origin. After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the euphoria 8 Address: Marienburger Strasse 40 many tasks themselves, they can save costs: the dif- to fill the last holes in Berlin. Although the share of Bau- for construction is tremendous. The reunited city, with ference can amount to around 900 euros per square gruppen relative to the total housing production appears 3.4 million inhabitants at that time, would grow to four ANDREA KROTH metre. The savings are invested in special architec- small, it shows that the demand for something other and perhaps five million people, believes the city council. ture, sustainability, or community facilities such as a than the standard quality of housing remains high. This Investors from around the world come to Berlin to build SC11 (2008) Architect: Zanderroth Architekten roof terrace, communal kitchen, guest room or sauna. is not entirely surprising in a city where, between 1973 housing. The main question: what direction should the Address: Schönholzer Strasse 11 ELKE STAMM

WERNER HUTHMACHER 13 At present there are around 140 active Baugruppen. and 1989, over 250,000 uniform slab apartment blocks new urbanism take? Many top international architects AUGUSTSTRASSE 51 (2008) design new buildings: Sir Norman Foster (Reichstag), Arata WEITSICHT (2010) Architect: Grüntuch & Ernst Architekten Architect: Arnold und Gladisch Architekten 9 –11 Isozaki and Renzo Piano (Potsdamer Platz), Philip Johnson Address: Auguststrasse 51 Address: Scharnweberstrasse 39 18 (Friedrichstrasse) and Frank Gehry (Pariser Platz). Mean- 3 SIMON MENGES while, the city explodes in all directions after years of divi- sion that had led to Berlin’s almost medieval, citadel-like character. Outside Berlin, construction is cheaper and, for the Berliner, it is an attractive place to live. The division of the city made suburbanization impossible, but after the fall of the Wall it is well under way. 8 Around the year 2000, the economy collapses and 12 – 14 thus also the construction industry. Developers reverse

7 their steps and leave the half-finished city behind. The SIMON MENGES tax benefits for construction projects are stopped and 15 ZE5 (2010) subsidies for social housing eliminated. Architects are Architect: Zanderroth Architekten

16 ANDREA KROTH left without work. Since then, the city has seen a pe- 9 Address: Zelterstrasse 5 culiar housing market, because much is vacant; more RUSC (2007) 17 – 19 than 50,000 homes remain unoccupied. Despite that Architect: Zanderroth Architekten (or because) it is under pressure, the demand for quality 14 Address: Corner of Ruppiner and Schönholzer Strasse 6 and new forms of living remains. The concern is not taken

on by traditional developers. They continue to think up WERNER HUTHMACHER 5 and build homes of maximum 80 m2 that lack sufficient

outdoor space. MÜLLER STEFAN Architects have since taken matters into their own K20 (2008) 4 hands. Indeed, there are still enough places in the city to Architect: Roedig Schop Architekten build. In East Berlin, especially, are numerous empty lots 4 Address: Kreuziger Strasse 20 3 between the existing buildings that remained vacant after the Second World War – the DDR government found building in the suburbs more important than old build- ings in the city. This is not a new phenomenon in ; in towns 1 like Tubingen and Freiburg, Baugruppen already exist and comprise a part of the official urban development. In Berlin, 2 Baugruppen have a purely pragmatic reason: the lack JAN BITTER ANDREA KROTH WERNER HUTHMACHER

‘Baugruppen bring strikingly KLIMASOLARHAUS (2009) TRAINSPOTTING (2009) STRELITZER STRASSE (2007) LINIEN 23 (2011) innovative architecture Architect: Dittert & Reumschüssel Architect: Roedig Schop Architekten Architect: FAT KOEHL Architekten Architect: bco Architekten into the city.’ 5 Address: Bänschstrasse 10 10 Address: Greifenhagener Strasse 19 15 Address: Strelitzer Strasse 53 19 Address: Linienstrasse 23

58 A10 # 46 Tour Guide Tour Guide A10 # 46 59 (Archipuncture and new qualities) of the urban plan for Rummelsburg was nec- ing in wood, especially multiple floors, has an bamboo is processed. This gives the facade a of work for architectural firms, combined with essary because of the changing economic impact on fire safety. By disconnecting the kind of comforting quality, despite the hard a growing dissatisfaction in the architectural situation around 2000. In an international concrete staircase from the rest of the build- surface. The eleven apartments have interior/ variety of the city. Many Berlin architecture architecture workshop, several architects ing, Kaden Klingbeil reinterpreted the neces- exterior balconies. Notably, the housing block bureaus are picking up building for and upon developed the concept of the Berlin Terrace, sary fire safety regulations. Although one may is built adjacent to the former ‘death strip’ of the city once again. a 120 to 295 m2 house with three to five sto­ look in vain for any wood on the facade – like the Berlin Wall. Baugruppen provide for architectural in- reys less than two metres wide, with garden nearly all housing projects in Berlin, it is plas- Zanderroth (14) also designed the build- tervention in the city, but on a small scale. and roof terrace. Elaboration of this con- tered – the structure is nearly 100% wooden ing opposite to Sc11. The complex spatial ur- They bring strikingly innovative architecture cept has led to the Artist Village: a couple of construction. The disconnected staircase al- ban situation – the north-east side of an urban to the city and they link living and working. friendly, black and white housing blocks with lows views into the communal garden. block – is turned into an intimate location. It In social terms, they are significant because huge atelier rooms of three to six metres How to develop a housing complex built belongs to the private owners of the building, the involvement of Baugruppen in neighbour- in height. There are several of these blocks against a blind wall which measures 64 metres but is made public. This allowed the designer hoods is great. Where in Hamburg municipal on both sides of the Rummelsburger See. long and 25 metres high? Arnold und Gladisch the opportunity to give the apartments views policy actively encourages Baugruppen, Ber- Don’t miss the (non-Baugruppe) block called Architekten (8) solves this tricky problem by on three sides. lin (still) stays on the sidelines. There is a cen- Fischzug, by Herman Hertzberger, at the end situating all living and sleeping rooms at the One might not suspect it, especially con- tral register of empty lots, but Berlin is with- of the street! outside facade. Staircases and service rooms sidering the amount of graffiti on the build- out special land prices for the city’s own lots, Crossing the bridge over the , we are on the block’s interior. The block houses ings, but some streets in Berlin have a special in contrast to Hamburg. At present there are reach the part of Berlin called Treptow, an area 23 apartments and an office. Originally stem- monumental protection, for instance, Strelitzer more than 500 empty lots available in Berlin. in which the Berlin Wall was quite present, but ming from a fire regulation, the design uses Strasse (15). FAT KOEHL Architekten had to Remarkably, or perhaps not surprisingly, one also one with beautiful urban villas from the the in-between spaces for storing bikes and adapt to these conditions, solving a restric- aspect that characterizes many Baugruppen end of the 19th century. On this strange spot strollers. This project shows the real value of tion on balconies by creating ones that unfold is sustainability. This is not expressed visually Keinert Büsching Architekten (2) took their Baugruppen architects: they combine inter- when a homeowner opens the balcony door. It in the form of timber partitions or clay walls. chances and bought a former DDR building, esting design with ordinary needs from resi- seems as if the building is made of two parts, Although the architecture itself remains an demolished it and replaced it with modern ur- dents, such as suitable storage space. which is not the case, but creating a cut in the important aspect, sustainability is also high ban villas. Each villa houses eight four-room Just outside the S-Bahn Ring is the Zelter facade gives it a unique appearance while on a group’s wish list. Many projects are typo- apartments and the floor plans are made Strasse (9), where a project by Zanderroth making it an ordinary part of the street. logical and organizationally well thought out, flexible for future changes. The villas have an Architekten is located. With nearly identical Walking through the gate leads one to the having a timeless quality. Because of the open enormous garden, mostly for common use. spatially difficult conditions as in the Marien- single-family housing behind the Strelitzer possibilities in Berlin, many Baugruppen pro- On this side of the Spree, consider tak- burger Strasse, Zanderroth succeeded in turning Strasse. These so-called individual town hous- jects contribute significantly to the attractive- ing a dive in the Badeschiff, a floating public the spatial disadvantages into a high-quality es are located at a dead-end street, which ter- ness and diversity of the city, because many swimming pool. The Badeschiff (‘bathing housing and environmental standard. They minates at the former ‘death strip’. projects include non-residential functions, ship’) opened in 2004, created by local artist created three different typologies: on the street The building at Anklamerstrasse 52, de- such as a physiotherapy practice, a day care Susanne Lorenz, together with the Spanish level are the very narrow (3.65 m) single- signed by Roedig Schop Architekten, is called centre or a café. Baugruppen are the reason AMP Arquitectos and Gil Wilk. In winter, the family houses with high ceilings. Despite the Ten in One (16). Ten different small house- for a (modest) return of families to the city. Not pool is covered and transformed into a sauna. narrowness, these houses have a very good holds got together and built a project with ten in a quantitative, large-scale way, but smaller It’s one of the famous temporary places that spatial quality and three different outdoor individual apartments. The roof is designed as and close to the wishes of the people. With really characterize the city. spaces; one at the inside garden, one at the a 25 m2 ‘holiday’ apartment, owned by all ten this, Baugruppen demonstrate that a new way Returning to the other side of the Spree, the backside – a patio-type balcony – and a roof households, and gives them the opportunity to of development and living is emerging. Not the busy, bustling district is where terrace. On the project’s interior is a com- vacation within their own building. The 100 m2 saleability of the property nor risk avoidance is ‘Weitsicht’ (3) by Arnold und Gladisch munal garden with smooth and securely de- roof terrace has a beautiful view over Berlin. paramount, but rather, the living enjoyment of Architekten is located. Weitsicht means signed transitions from communal to private. Carpaneto.schöningh.architekten created the occupant is the starting point, combined ‘far view’ and lives up to its name with large In all, 23 townhouses, ten garden houses and a special Baugruppe in the Steinstrasse 26 – 28 with architecture that delivers a contribu- glass doors on the south side of the building, twelve penthouses have been realized. On the (17). Special, because the block looks like a tion to the city. Residential buildings are of- facing the inner courtyard. The north facade roof is a communal terrace with an outdoor three-dimensional puzzle comprising several ten equipped with communal gardens where is much more closed. The building has a high kitchen and barbecue. coloured elements. These elements are invis- children can play; the roof is also common and sus­tainability standard and contains twelve Returning to inside the ring, Train­spotting ible from the street side. Crossing the gate, thus belongs to everyone. Baugruppen meet apartments. (10) by Roedig Schop Architekten really suits one sees the rear facade with the parts which the growing demands for living from house- In the nearby Kreuziger Strasse, K20 (4) its name: the S-Bahn trains run only fifteen protrude. The project incorporates five non- holds in the city after having had children, and was built by Roedig Schop Architekten. The metres’ distance from the building. This is housing units for offices and shops, and is dis- do not ‘suburbanize’ them in a family house facade is not to be missed: the alternately col- an architecturally ‘classic’ Berlin Baugruppe tinctive because it also includes a swimming with a garden in a poorly accessible suburb oured panels suits the neighbourhood well. building – it doesn’t scream for attention. At pool and sauna. without attractive urban facilities. The building hosts a small pension called a first glance, the building looks ordinary. But Auguststrasse 51 (18) can’t be missed. The In Berlin, the ‘starchitecture’ from the Lohwasser. The beautiful back facade can be a closer look reveals that the refinement here large glass facade contrasts with the surround- 1990s is over; ‘archipuncture’ has become seen by sneaking into the graveyard, which is quite intelligent. The six apartments house ing buildings, which are nearly all plastered. the norm. In that sense, Baugruppen projects can be reached through the Boxhagener eleven adults and nine children, all of whom The block houses an architecture office – that of fit better with Berlin than the major projects Strasse, close to the old chapel. enjoy a communal roof terrace and garden. Gruntüch & Ernst, who also designed the build- of the ‘90s. Cultural critic Hans Ulrich Obrist Another project in which sustainabil- Each apartment has a view on the tracks from ing – and apartments. In the inner courtyard is a once said: ‘Berlin is dangerous, it’s a trap. The ity standards are high is the so-called Klima­ three sides. The building is linked with the city double apartment that nearly has the feeling of character of the city wins without any effort solarhaus (5) (‘climate solar house’) which through the facilities on the ground floor; a a free-standing, single-family house. from all the international star architects.’ Bau- has very low energy costs. The project, shop and an office. The project Linienstrasse 23 (19), by bco gruppen architects in Berlin are not bothered designed by Dittert & Reumschüssel, faces The Leuchtturm (11) (‘lighthouse’) at Architekten, is also a ‘Passivhaus’, meaning by that. Their projects are Berlin itself – un- the park in front with a rather closed facade, Pappelallee 43 by Mohr+Winterer Architek- it has been built following the highest energy ruly, sometimes a bit stiff, smartly designed, due to its orientation to the north. ten is typical for urban Berlin – it looks like saving standards. From the outside, one can and ultimately very friendly and therefore Caring for the environment can have dif- a stand-alone, but is the first effort to close hardly distinguish the small windows, close perfectly appropriate to the city. ferent looks, as seen in the ‘passivhaus’ at the existing housing block in a new way, with to the pavement. These windows belong to This tour guide presents a selection of pro- the Thaerstrasse 27 (6). Here, three blocks large apartments and a huge communal gar- the ZINK gallery. Due to building regulations, jects by Baugruppen, especially ones in the containing ten households each demonstrate den behind the building. the free-standing block has two blind facades. former East Berlin districts of Friedrichshain, that a building which uses virtually no energy On the same street is a project by the Bau- Perhaps in the future Linienstrasse 23 will be Treptow, and . This is doesn’t have to look very architecturally mod- gruppe development company Bürgerstadt accompanied by new neighbours. not surprising; it is the part of the city where ern. The more classic facade is reminiscent of A.G. (12) that has six 120 m2 apartments The Linienstrasse is one of those easy the greatest portion of (free) space was availa- late 19th-century urban villas, but with the and one 74 m2 office/retail space. The facade streets in Berlin-Mitte to stroll along. Don’t ble and where the fate of lot owners was often technical standards of the 21st century. displays scattered windows, due to the split- forget to visit the Berlin Architectural and Art unclear after the fall of the Berlin Wall. After a short trip through the not-so- level character of the building. Each apart- Book store, Pro QM, at Almstadtstrasse 48 – 50, The tour begins at the former industrial trendy area of Prenzlauer Berg, we arrive at ment has a 3x3-metre window which can be on the corner of Linienstrasse. This is where area Rummelsburg, just outside the S-Bahn Esmarchstrasse 3 (7). This project by Kaden opened and used as an art loggia with a view the tour ends. Of course, it’s not possible to railway ring. Here the Berlin-based office of Klingbeil Architekten is famous because it on the busy Pappelallee. highlight each of the 150 Baugruppen pro- Beyer-Schubert Architekten designed the is the first high-rise building in Berlin (and Another interesting and intelligent project jects in the city here, so take a look for yourself Artists Village (1). This highly polluted for- Europe) constructed with wood. Kaden Kling- by Zanderroth Architekten is Sc11 (13). The and discover Berlin’s vibrant and interesting mer industrial area was intended to host the beil are specialized in building in wood, which facade of the building changes with every ‘archipuncture’. With projects such as these, Olympic Village in 2000, but Berlin was not is why this Baugruppe asked them to design a step closer to the building. Made of concrete, Berlin is a laboratory for discovering new awarded the Games in the end. Reconsideration housing block for seven young families. Build- the facade was poured into a mould in which qualities in urban housing.

60 A10 # 46 Tour Guide