Greenkamp | Atelier ST

Location & neighbourhood

In the west of Berlin, nestled between the historic Grunewald forest and the old AVUS route, lies the Eichkamp estate designed by Bruno Taut - a residential neighbourhood that was conceived as a forest estate in the early 1920s. The plot is one of the last undeveloped plots in this unique ensemble. The special character of the estate; characterised by old deciduous trees, small detached houses and an almost village-like atmosphere, despite its proximity to the ICC, can still be clearly felt here. The immediate neighbourhood is heterogeneous, combining public buildings such as daycare centres and schools with private single-family homes from different eras. A new residential building has been created in this evolved context, which blends in respectfully and only catches the eye at second glance.

Concept & central idea

The design aims to incorporate the historical identity of the estate and translate it into a contemporary architectural language. A house that not only responds to the urban planning situation, but also to the individual needs of a family of six. The architecture draws its quality from the location - from the old trees, the proximity to nature and the traditional typologies of the neighbourhood. The compact, almost square basic shape with a tent roof picks up on familiar proportions, but develops an independent presence as a solitary structure. The slightly projecting upper storeys create additional space and lend the building a sculptural depth. The house is not a loud icon, but a multi-layered contribution to further building in a sensitive neighbourhood: between community and retreat, openness and protection.

Exterior

The exterior of the house is characterised by a dark green mineral lime plaster, which allows the building to visually merge with the surrounding greenery like a camouflage. The tent roof, covered with pre-patinated dark ceramic tiles, emphasises the undirected form and echoes the roof shapes typical of the surrounding area. Window openings in circular, semi-circular and high-zonal rectangular shapes playfully cite architectural elements of Art Deco, which was fashionable at the time the estate was built. The integration of the building into the terrain follows the natural elevation of the plot and is complemented by half-height plinths, terraces and embankments, which create a gentle transition between the house and the garden space. A paved forecourt welcomes visitors and provides parking spaces for cars and bicycles - a place of arrival and the threshold between public space and the private world.

Interior

Completely surprisingly, the interior of the building is a wooden shrine. This is because, contrary to what the house might suggest from the outside, it is a purely timber construction, apart from the partial basement. This means that all the walls, ceilings and surfaces, including the built-in furniture, are made from wood, a renewable resource. The only exception is the black mastic asphalt flooring.The room structure is open, bright and permeable and at the same time structured by height differences, visual axes and deliberately placed retreats. The entrance area is designed as a spacious, light-flooded foyer with semi-circular double doors. This is structured with a diamond-shaped glazing bar. A design element that is continued in the inner, floor-to-ceiling sliding doors.

From here, the kitchen with dining area, the ‘centrepiece’ of the house, is accessed via a half-floor. Generous, semi-circular window areas allow the interior and exterior spaces to merge together. The slightly elevated living room is directly adjacent and is designed as an intimate retreat with panoramic windows: a ‘salle séparée’ for music, reading or conversation. A custom-built wood-burning stove with green tadelak seating emphasises the homely atmosphere. At the same time, it is the primary source of heating in the house as a water-fuelled continuous-burning stove.

The upper storeys house bedrooms, children's rooms and work areas - all flexibly usable, flooded with natural light and with views of the garden and the treetops. Single-flight staircases, galleries and air spaces create a spatial structure that, despite its simple form, offers an unexpectedly complex internal variety. The theme of round arches is continued here in the interior doors with semi-circular arches made of black-stained oak.

architecture: Atelier ST
project management: Silvia Schellenberg-Thaut | Sebastian Thaut, architects BDA & DWB
team: Moritz Dinkel, Viet Duc Nguyen, Johannes Wilde

structural design: Mayer-Vorfelder und Dinkelacker, 01277 Dresden

building physics: Graner Ingenieure GmbH, 04105 Leipzig

area and space: useful area (NF): 255,0 m2
gross floor area (BGF): 388,0 m2
gross volume (BRI): 1136,0 m3

timeline: planning: 11/2021-10/2023
start of construction: 02/2023
completion: 03/2025

photographer: Clemens Poloczek, Berlin