marc benjamin drewes & schneideroelsen

Description

The renovation of a Wilhelminian-era Berlin apartment proceeded through small, gentle modifications that take care not to destroy the special character of the old building while bringing its hidden qualities to light. In three rooms, the stucco mouldings and ornament, which were covered by several layers of paint, were carefully exposed by hand. The ceilings were left unpainted afterwards in order to preserve their lively structure as a distinguishing feature of the interior. In the rooms without any old stucco on the ceiling, patterned cement tiles on the floors create a special atmosphere. Otherwise, a pure and clean appearance was maintained without any extraneous details; instead of a skirting board, an inconspicuous special coating was applied, while the newly added doors are flush with the wall surface except for their doorknobs, adding to the overall smooth effect. In the rear of the apartment, the transition between the building’s original vintage motifs and the purist, modern approach is demarcated by a Moroccan door. This almost surreal element, provided by the clients, integrates aspects of their personalities into the apartment, creating an individualistic residence through the interplay of traditional and modern styles.