A Serial Play of Colour
Living on Eichhorster Straße
The colourful balconies are an immediate eye-catcher. The façade of the modern residential block in Berlin-Marzahn is embellished by large, trapezoidally splayed balconies whose soffits were developed in collaboration with Berlin artists Witthöft & LaTourelle. The colours echo those of the built surroundings and also serve as a means of identification for the residents. Last but not least, the spirited façade ensures that the housing block has an airy feel despite its compact massing.
&MICA designed 186 owner-occupied flats here with 1 to 4 rooms each. Bathrooms and ancillary spaces are positioned at the core of the largely barrier-free dwellings. The living spaces are grouped around them: the quiet bedrooms to the north and east, the bright living areas to the west and south. The apartments are fitted out to a high standard; &MICA has succeeded in combining economy with comfort and architectural sophistication at a high level. On top of that, &MICA saw to it that construction was completed ahead of schedule.
The residential block surrounds a green, shared courtyard. Each dwelling unit on the raised ground floor benefits from a front garden plus a terrace of its own, and all the upper floors benefit from spacious balconies that provide a connection to outside. The building, which is designed to the KfW55 standard, is bracketed vertically by a roof garden and an underground garage on two levels with space for cars and bicycles.
»Eichhorst14« and Colour
Building for the Surroundings
The distinctive, colourfully painted soffits beneath the balconies match the colour palette of the surrounding Plattenbau buildings. Even though the new housing block stands out aesthetically from the existing buildings, this design establishes a connection to the neighbourhood.
Building for the Residents
The »building with the colourful balconies« has high recognition value. However, the residents’ identification with the building is not determined solely by the balconies. The seven entrances are also designed in different colours for easy orientation on the expansive grounds.
We need more flexibility.
When it comes to use, sustainability and inclusion, we should continue to be persistent and try – in the spirit of ›Universal Design‹ – to integrate ideas that have already proven to be very good and flexible into our planning.
Location
Berlin-Marzahn
Type
Living
Client
CESA Wohn- und Gewerbebau GmbH
Time Frame
2016 – 2021
Size
Approx. 26.900 m² GFA
Services
LPH 1 – 8 HOAI
Status
Completed
Photography
Büro Schramm für Gestaltung and Luca Abbiento
