The goal of this design was to recapture the elegance and materiality of the space and to house Architektenkammer Berlin (Berlin Chamber of Architects) fittingly both as representatives of the city’s architects and as a dynamic service provider with an eye to the future. The planned interventions serve the goal of promoting transparency, permeability, and communicative collaboration among employees and among the Architektenkammer, the membership, and office visitors.

The existing structures remain largely intact, so that that the existing fire protection and technical systems (ventilations, heating, electric wiring) are scarcely affected. All walls remain in place and are painted white, the carpet flooring is completely removed and replaced with linoleum (semi-gloss anthracite) for purposes of acoustic insulation.

The simple foyer is furnished with a reception area and the new cube of a kitchenette that can be used as a bar for events. The generous hallway before the offices 204–209 is structured with windows onto the individual spaces. These windows each correspond to a change of colors in the flooring (linoleum anthracite/gray), on the wall opposite filing elements fold towards the top. In the lower realm of the hallway, these elements become standing tables that separate the realm of the kitchenette from the hallway.

In the offices, the existing shelving systems are maintained and kept operable, including the integrated ventilation system, only individual segments are removed for “office views.” The visible surfaces of the shelving units are restored and painted white. The rooms are linked to another with doors and room-high office apertures along the window side. The somewhat raised utility conduit is retained and seems to flow from one room to the next by way of the fixed glazing. Mobile wall elements with a steel frame structure filled in with translucent acrylic wall components serve the purpose of optical spatial separation and indirect lighting.

The spaces in the front area are reserved for seminars, assemblies, and other events and can be used flexibly. A curtain for acoustic insulation makes possible several events at once.

All new furniture is made using OSB boards, sanded and varnished, all surfaces are realized in stainless steel. The clear and functional forms of the new furniture and elements in combination with the materials chosen reflect the original presence and elegance of the building, interpreting it anew and providing an appropriate setting for the Architektenkammer.

Images: © ATELIER D ARCHITETTURA · Concept: 2010