Berlin family gain architectural asset
David Chipperfield Architects has completed the Townhouse O-10 in Berlin. The building is in the new district of ‘Friedrichswerder’ which is emerging between Werderstraße and Leipziger Straße, Oberwall-, Niederwallstraße and Kurstraße. Historic areas of urban development such as England’s noted townhouse settlements of the last two centuries have served as inspiration for the new district.
Within the tight restrictions of a deep and narrow lot, the house achieves generosity through room height. The qualities of natural light and space are more important than the optimisation of surface area and flexibility. The location of the staircase on the facade, unusual for a townhouse, highlights the significance of the vertical aspect of the project. While from a material point of view, the facade is almost passive, the composition of vertical cuboids with glazed fronts creates depth and a sculptural quality.
The house will be used as a family home with an atelier.
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