Light orchestrates the design
An innovative roof crowned with a striking series of concrete ribs that revitalizes a historic industrial structure
In Neukölln, architect Sohrab Zafari has crowned a historic five-storey factory building with a striking new roof structure. The original building, constructed around 1900 in a rear courtyard on Mainzer Straße, features a T-shaped layout with a gabled roof and encloses two courtyards. Zafari's studio was commissioned by Munich-based property developer Huber im Tal to design a contemporary roof addition that would serve as office space, matching the function of the floors below.
The entire original roof was dismantled and rebuilt from scratch. This innovative project marries the raw beauty of industrial heritage with contemporary elegance and precision. At its heart lies a series of 20 reinforced concrete ribs—the architect's defining gesture. These ribs carry the roof, form the perimeter wall, and define a striking silhouette. What might initially appear as an expansive terrace beneath a glass canopy is, in fact, a completely open 120 m² space designed for flexible use. Spaced at regular intervals, the 30-centimeter-wide concrete ribs accomplish something remarkable: despite the material's inherent weight, they create an impression of extraordinary lightness. Realizing this vision required substantial structural reinforcement of the existing building to safely distribute the new loads. The ribs were cast in place while their formwork was prefabricated and positioned on-site with millimeter precision. Exposed concrete surfaces underscore the industrial aesthetic throughout. Two stairwells and an external elevator ensure barrier-free access to this new level. A slender external corridor—just 15 meters long—runs between the fire wall and the new structure, connecting the stairs to the central entrance, and from there, leading up to the roof terrace. The entrance opens to two flanking rooms with a bathroom before revealing the expansive main space. The precisely orchestrated rhythm of ribs and voids creates a mesmerizing play of light and shadow that shifts throughout the day with changing weather and solar angles. As light moves across the finely polished screed, the ribs cast shadow patterns that animate the floor. From outside, this rooftop "structure" is equally striking—a contemporary reinterpretation of a classical colonnade.
Photos:
Werner Huthmacher
www.werner-huthmacher.de
Studio Wesely
www.wesely.org
Atelier Zafari
(Featured in CUBE Berlin 04|24)
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