There's a certain irony to it: shops in the former GDR bore the name "Konsum" – the very symbol of capitalist consumption – emblazoned on humble East German corner stores. Johanna Meyer-Grohbrügge (Büro Meyer-Grohbruegge) and Sebastian Behmann (Studio Other Spaces) acquired the shell of a defunct Konsum in Karwe on Lake Neuruppin and reimagined it as an extraordinary home.

Converting a defunct shop into a residence proved far more complex than it might sound. The original structure – a 13-by-13-meter square containing a sales floor and several modest storage rooms – presented immediate challenges. Windows and doors had largely vanished; the flat roof was beyond salvage. When demolition began, worse emerged: the walls were deeply fractured and equally compromised. Committed to preserving the building's essential character, the architects rebuilt the walls using expanded clay blocks. Then came the ingenious intervention: a second, larger transparent envelope of glass walls measuring 19 by 19 meters was positioned over the original structure and rotated 45 degrees. The result is striking – triangular, overhanging spaces at three corners function as winter gardens, while the fourth corner was strategically cut away to reintroduce the entrance at its original position. It's a brilliant maneuver, both practically and conceptually: the added space is substantial, yet the house transcends its private function. Thanks to its central location, it remains a vital gathering point for the village.

Removing the roof above the former shop floor revealed an open courtyard – the organizational heart of the design. Like a traditional courtyard dwelling, all rooms now radiate from this central space. Above, the retained roof area transformed into an accessible roof garden, abundantly planted and framing unobstructed views of the lake. Energy comes from a geothermal system; sealed surfaces were opened up and a rainwater harvesting system integrated. Another compelling demonstration that thoughtful renovation often outperforms demolition.

www.meyer-grohbruegge.com
www.studiootherspaces.net

Photography:
Thomas Meyer – Ostkreuz
www.ostkreuz.de

(Published in CUBE Cologne Berlin 03|25)