You wouldn't expect to find such a structure in the industrialised landscape of Rummelsburg Bay. Yet the Flussbad campus is evolving into a cultural hub – especially since the arrival of the "Reethaus," a striking building concealed beneath a thatched roof that sits directly on the water. Its pitched roof form feels distinctly Schleswig-Holstein, an unlikely sight in Berlin. The Reethaus orbits a central event space formally called a "ritual room," though it welcomes decidedly secular occasions—musical performances, artistic presentations, and cultural gatherings. This audacious Berlin addition was conceived and designed by Tyrolean architect Monika Gogl, whose work on the building—particularly its interior—earned the prestigious "Ahead Europe Award." What inspired such a daring vision, and how did she muster the courage to realize it in Berlin? Gogl's path to architecture began in the Tyrolean mountains. Childhood visits to her grandparents in Bad Gastein left her deeply moved by Gerhard Gerstenauer's iconic mountain spa. She credits this early encounter with awakening her sensitivity to the dialogue between nature and architecture—a tension that continues to shape her work today. Her material palette reflects this philosophy: concrete, wood, stone, and here, reed—each chosen for its authentic connection to the landscape. Gogl achieved something remarkable: she located Berlin's last remaining craftsman skilled in traditional reed-thatching. From the outside, the closed form resembles a pyramid with its apex removed—yet inside, the Reethaus unfolds as an open, welcoming space. A gently sloping ramp leads into a foyer that encircles the central "ritual room," with a terrace opening toward the southwest. Flanking the core are work and meeting spaces; the rear houses practical functions—kitchen, offices, facilities. Toward the water, a courtyard, atrium, and lounge invite stillness and reflection. The atmosphere is inherently contemplative. The reed roof envelops visitors in a sense of seclusion and quiet—precisely why Gogl describes it as a modern temple. Among her portfolio of residences, retail spaces, hotels, bars, and industrial structures, the Reethaus stands apart. It exemplifies her signature approach: bold, unconventional design. Here, that vision takes the form of a sympathetic "alien" in Berlin's urban forest.

www.gogl-architekten.at

Photography Credits:

David Kratzer
José Cuevas

(Featured in CUBE Berlin 01|24)