Expanding Upward
Expansion and renovation of a turn-of-the-century residential and commercial building
Housing scarcity remains a defining challenge in Berlin. To unlock additional living space, one proven strategy is expanding areas within existing residential structures. This was the exact vision that drove the owner of a Wilhelminian-era residential and commercial building in Charlottenburg to engage C. M. Laute Architektur. Their mandate: add a full floor and attic level to the garden house, extend the front building and side wings with new attic stories, and undertake comprehensive renovation of the remaining structure.
"Roughly half the units received a complete renovation," architect Christian Laute explains. "By reclaiming a former atrium space, we were able to introduce spacious, contemporary bathrooms into the period apartments and outfit each with open-plan kitchens and underfloor heating." Both the historic inner lift and the stairwell were meticulously restored following original specifications. The team reworked historic stucco elements throughout the front stairwell and, using careful colour analysis, faithfully recreated the original paintwork. The result: an authentically reproduced marble décor that honors the building's heritage.
The garden house gained a new internal lift and balconies, while the outdoor spaces were entirely redesigned and all windows upgraded to timber-aluminium frames. This ambitious undertaking presented distinct challenges: maintaining occupied units, meeting urban planning codes, and addressing the lighting constraints posed by the front building's considerable depth. Roof fenestration had to be carefully limited. To ensure adequate daylight in the deep attic apartments, the team inserted three-sided glazed atriums at the building's core. These bring natural light into the expansive living areas from multiple angles. Residents now enjoy direct visual connection to outdoor spaces, with stairs descending from the atriums to rooftop terraces. "Our design philosophy guided us to preserve the building's historic character across all new levels while delivering contemporary homes that meet today's living standards," Laute reflects.
Photography:
C. M. Laute Architecture
(Published in CUBE Berlin 03|25)
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