In Pankow, north Berlin, a young family with two children commissioned their ideal home. They entrusted the design to Berlin-based architect Valerie Söder. The result: a classically proportioned house with a flat pitched roof that confidently asserts its modern character while standing out beautifully within its neighborhood of diverse single-family homes. Like many Berlin properties, this corner plot once held an older, smaller residence—now demolished to make way for something new. The home's most striking feature is its expansive aluminum window system. Positioned at the southwest corner, these windows wrap around the building's edge, flooding the interior with natural light. The architect strategically oriented the house so the ground-floor living spaces benefit from this generous glazing, while the sheltered entrance and attached garage discretely face the quiet side street to the east.

The main axis runs east to west from the entrance, drawing the eye through to the garden beyond. On the right sits the kitchen and dining zone, housed within a projecting cube punctuated by a bay window. The left side opens to the living area, with its full-length windows and sliding glass doors that blur the boundary between interior and the garden terrace. The ground floor totals 188 m² of living and usable space, plus a study, guest WC, utility room, and direct garage access. A clean wooden staircase ascends to the upper level, where another bay window frames views of the street. The left wing holds two children's bedrooms; the right features the master suite with dressing room and ensuite bath. Söder's office designed most of the custom interior elements, while seamless solid wood flooring runs throughout the home.

The structure is built from aerated concrete blocks—a Swedish innovation prized for its superior thermal properties. A mineral wool insulation layer wraps the exterior, finished with luminous white mineral plaster for a crisp, clean appearance. Underfloor heating, powered entirely by a geothermal heat pump, maintains warmth throughout the home, with a gas fireplace in the kitchen available for additional comfort. A smart home system manages all controls and monitoring. The open-plan layout, with its carefully considered sightlines and abundant connection to green space, creates a harmonious, light-filled environment that feels both spacious and serene—the perfect setting for a growing family.

www.soederarchitect.com

(Published in Berlin 04|20)