Berlin's cities are expanding, yet housing construction struggles to keep pace. According to the 2025 Housing Report, the city faces a shortage of approximately 90,000 homes. Strategically utilizing vacant land within established neighborhoods offers one solution to this pressing need. Between 2022 and 2024, four point-block towers emerged as part of a thoughtfully planned densification project. Respectfully complementing the existing architecture at Orankesee, these four mid-rise buildings introduce 85 apartments—ranging from two to five rooms—that enhance the neighborhood's character. Designed by Berlin-based architects Arnold und Gladisch for MIB – Märkische Ingenieur Bau, the development follows an elegant compositional strategy: the new structures are positioned in front of an existing comb-like residential complex, nestled between its "teeth" at an appropriate distance, closer to the lake's edge.

Officially designated as the "Hansastraße" project in Weissensee, the development demonstrates restraint and sensitivity. Three of the six-story buildings integrate seamlessly with neighboring structures, while the fourth stands independently, offering direct access to Lake Orankesee. A generous outdoor staircase with built-in seating serves as an inviting gathering space and leads to an integrated youth center offering homework support. Inclusivity is central to the design: roughly half the apartments are subsidized social housing, while the unit mix accommodates diverse households—from individuals to large families. The architectural language speaks through light plaster facades, clinker brick detailing at ground level, and a cohesive color palette that creates visual harmony. Inside, each building claims its own identity through distinctive colors in the foyer, ceilings, and stairwell soffits.

www.arnoldundgladisch.de

Photos:
Werner Huthmacher
www.huthmacher-data.de

(Published in CUBE Berlin 02|25)