The existing building at Olivaer Platz 2 was constructed at the beginning of the 20th century as a neo-classical residential and commercial building. The historical roof shape burned down during the war and the post-war renovation knocked the remaining stucco from the façades. After intensive negotiations with the city planning office, we were able to rebuild the roof shape in its original volume.
In our design, the contemporary stylistic vocabulary of the roof represents a clear contrast to the existing façade of the historical building. The roof façade adapts to the roof pitches of the surrounding area, but consists of stove-enamelled, light-coloured aluminium panels and contrasting dark window ribbons. The geometry of the aluminium-clad roof surface follows the idea of a bent and folded ribbon.
The existing apartments were adapted to the current user requirements depending on their position in the building and were re-dimensioned ranging from 60 sq.m to 400 sq.m. In the roof area, two two-storey penthouse apartments are offered with particularly generous roof terraces. From here, you can enjoy a lofty view of the entire West Berlin city centre.
A total of twenty apartments with a beautiful layout and seven shops were created throughout the building.
Today, the new structure is located like a ship on top of the Wilhelminian-style house over the roofs of Berlin, bearing witness to the critical years of Berlin’s reconstruction after the fall of the Wall.
