In 1870, hardware merchant Friedrich Wilhelm Lademann acquired the Wallstraße property and immediately began construction on a four-storey mixed-use building. The following year, he expanded by purchasing the adjacent plot and building another residential complex. From the street, the two structures read as separate homes, but their terraced rear design creates a unified, harmonious composition. The ground floor originally housed Lademann's hardware showrooms in soaring, studio-like spaces and a remarkable hall. Four ornate cast-iron columns support the impressive hall, which rises 5.4 metres and features a mezzanine gallery. The first floor above contained the company's office.

The hall's story is one of transformation—most recently serving as an event space in the post-reunification years. Now recognized as a protected historic landmark, the space received approval in 2019 for adaptive reuse: ground floor as a gallery and café, basement as office space, and the former office reimagined as a generous residential apartment. Tasked with the restoration, the architects set out to preserve and revive the hall's atmospheric character despite its deteriorated state. Every original element was either retained or thoughtfully restored. The destroyed spiral staircase, which once connected to the first floor, was rebuilt to reopen the hall. Working closely with the heritage authority, the colour palette was informed by careful examination of original finishes on walls and ceilings. All necessary technical updates were integrated with restrained sensitivity to the historic fabric. A meeting room with steel-and-glass walls now occupies the mezzanine, while new steel staircases link the basement to the gallery above. The result honours the building's heritage: the hall section facing Wallstraße functions as a welcoming café, while the Spree-facing side serves as an elegant gallery and business lounge, making this beautifully preserved space accessible to the community.

www.haus-architekten.de

Photography Credits:

haus.architekten

(Published in CUBE Berlin 02|23)