Discovering
Mission: A French couple was looking for a unique apartment in Berlin Mitte. They also wanted a safe long-term investment for a large sum of money, and to leave a legacy that they could be proud of.
Requirements: Our clients wanted a site that met three distinct criteria. They wanted long views to trees and trains. The site had to be close to good transit connections, and within the traditional historic center district (Mitte). This daunting set of requirements seemed impossible to fulfill.
Goals: The building was to be hyper-sustainable, and architecturally outstanding.
Process: Over a period of ten weeks we conducted an intensive search. We identified all potential empty sites, and contacted their owners. Although there are almost no sites left in Mitte, we were able to find two that were actually in the process of being sold, and both of them exactly matched our client's criteria.
Success: After meticulously examining the sites and their constraints, we calculated and submitted offers for both. After several months of intense negotiation, one of our offers was successful. The site was owned by the German Rail, and located directly above a train station. It was one of the last empty sites in Berlin Mitte, a fantastic location and a safe investment.
Developing
Structure: We explored several strategies for developing the site according to our client's objectives. We tested different programmatic scenarios and business plans to determine the best possible solution for achieving these goals.
We investigated land structuring arrangements, and phasing schedules to choose the safest route to the final construction.
In light of our clients long-term aims, we settled on a strategy of a phased development. The first step was constructing a tower to give their top-floor apartment the best views in all directions.
The rest of the site would be developed slowly over time. We would then be able to adapt the project to the emerging social, cultural, and ecological needs of the neighbourhood.
Designing
Negotiations: The site was directly above an entrance tunnel leading to the 'Nordbahnhof' underground railway station. Because the tunnel was essential to the station, it presented technical difficulties and design constraints that were interwoven with the German Rail's own company agenda. We studied the different possibilities, and negotiated a solution with four separate branches of the German Rail, each responsible for separate aspects of the service.
Identity: Any building on the site would have a major impact on the whole neighbourhood. It would be clearly visible for several kilometers in all directions. We felt honoured to work on the historically charged border between East and West Germany, at the intersection of the Berlin Wall Memorial and a main S-Bahn line. In fact the station entrance on the site had actually been a part of the Wall.
We studied the effect of the building using massing models, and examined programatic concepts which would enhance the dialogue between the building and its surroundings. Our aim was to create a unique and complex identity that would contribute a new voice to Berlin's vibrant local character for generations to come.
Shock: The design phase was cut short when our clients were forced to pull out of the deal two weeks before it was due to be notarized. Their main business had taken an unexpected turn for the worse due to the financial crisis, and they no longer felt comfortable investing their capital in a new venture of this scale.