Recycling is more than a buzzword – at Studio Bowie, it's become architectural practice. The former Kindl Brewery warehouse has been transformed into a cutting-edge coworking space where every material tells a story of transformation. What makes it truly exceptional is that all elements have been given a second life through thoughtful design. LXSY, the Berlin-based architecture studio founded in 2015 by South African Kim Le Roux and German Margit Sichrovsky, operates entirely with female architects and designers. The firm deliberately distances itself from casual bricolage or simple upcycling – instead, their work demonstrates how discarded materials can become refined, purposeful design. Roughly 70 percent of all materials sourced here originate from demolition sites, trade fairs, museums, and corporate stockpiles. The architects actively cultivate relationships with local carpenters to recover wood offcuts and remnants that might otherwise become waste. Anyone who has witnessed the scale of debris from dismantled exhibitions, abandoned stage sets, or demolished buildings understands why this approach deserves to become the norm. The hall's layout – divided horizontally into two zones and vertically into two levels by a wooden gallery – maximizes the existing structural grid to create distinct workstations. The space accommodates individual desks, team rooms, meeting spaces, phone booths, and shared areas including a café open to the neighborhood and passersby. Yet the design thinking extends beyond today's needs: every element is conceived with future reuse in mind. This is circular construction in practice. Of course, intentional sourcing presents challenges – materials don't always arrive when needed, and required components aren't always waiting. Building a reliable network is essential. Studio Bowie has partnered with Concular, a specialist in circular construction practices, and Crash Galore, a Leipzig-based nonprofit second-hand materials marketplace, to bridge these gaps and maintain responsive, demand-driven planning.

www.lxsy.de

Photography Credits:

Studio Bowie
www.studiobowie.de

(Featured in CUBE Berlin 01|24)