O°68 can be spotted in Berlin Biesdorf. With its many familial houses and sumptuous gardens, it not only has an almost village-like character. Furthermore it is Germany’s largest contiguous area for detached and semi-detached residential properties.

Originally constructed as a yellow clinkered prefabricated structure in 1990, the house underwent a complete transformation. The new contemporary design features an elegant black facade that is purposed in contrast to striking box windows, made of larch, which also serve as compelling seating opportunities inside the house. The entryway serves as a focal point of the meticulous reorganization. By dismantling the ceiling slab and repositioning partition walls, an otherwise the ordinary doorway was converted into a jubilant and cheerful vestibule, flooded with daylight, shining through the retrofitted skylights.

The bright, airy spaces and natural light shimmering through the numerous glass openings determine the clever character of the building. The newly satiny screed floor coating fuses a neutral color palette into an almost monochromatic look. Industrial details are balanced with wood and warm textiles, so that the novel aesthetic draws inspiration from Scandinavian interiors.

Conversion of a Family Home

Fotos: Jens Schumann