It was Berlin’s first high-rise building and is a widely visible symbol of the former »Lampen­stadt« (Gas lamp city) in Berlin’s Fried­richshain district. &MICA worked under commission from OFFICE­FIRST Real Estate GmbH to transform the former Narva Tower into a modern office location for the new LUX Berlin develo­pment and also designed the showroom for the new tenants of the »LUX Towers«.

The Lampen­stadt becomes LUX

 

»Brilliant, dynamic, full of energy«: The new LUX Berlin complex on Rother­straße is home to a vibrant mix of creative start-ups and estab­lished businesses. Yet the area is steeped in history. Built between 1906 and 1914 by Deutsche Gasglüh­licht AG, the four buildings were used for almost 80 years to manufacture incan­de­scent lamps, first by Osram, a spin-off of Deutsche Gasglüh­licht, and after the end of the war by the VEB Kombinat Narva – Berliner Glühlam­penwerk (BGW).

Today’s LUX Tower was origi­nally built in 1909 to a design by Theodor Kampffmeyer, and was the most striking building in the Lampen­stadt. With an initial ten storeys, the company complex was designed from the outset to have an urban impact from afar. In 1963, a glass cube-shaped filament duration test facility on the roof finally trans­formed the tower into a shining landmark for the area north of the Spree, now visible from afar even at night. Thirty years later, this super­s­tructure also became the model for the five-storey glass cube added on top of the building when it was moder­nised and converted into an office complex.

Bright space for visionary work enviro­ments

Together with the inter­na­tional lighting design studio LICHT KUNST LICHT, &MICA developed a lighting concept that does justice to the history of the site: The bands marking each floor of the cube-shaped extension that surmounts the base are backlit at night, as is the lift core, whose lighting extends into the lower, double-height lobby. Combined with the LUX signage on top of the tower, the tradi­tional and powerful impact from afar is revived, while bands of light provide recurring accents inside and out.

The spacious, high-ceilinged spaces with their indus­trial character provide the basis for adaptable use concepts and flexible floor plan confi­gu­ra­tions. The standard floors provide space for conti­nuous office landscapes of up to 1,600 m2, reviving the expansive spaces of the former multi-storey factory.

For the LUX TOWER showroom, with its meeting islands, a materials library and an open-plan kitchen, &MICA gutted a 450 m2 area on the first floor of the existing building. Cellular offices gave way to a spacious layout, with expanded metal ceilings empha­sising the indus­trial character. The sanitary cores, with two different wet-room concepts, are enclosed in backlit glass blocks.

In close consul­tation with the client, &MICA also developed three space utili­sation concepts to meet the diverse needs of a contem­porary work environment. Optional open stair­cases create additional connec­tions between the floors. The look is presti­gious and commu­ni­cation is fostered. Exposed steel struc­tural elements give the built-out top floor of LUX TOWER a distinctive character. Parti­cu­larly striking: behind the gable façade is a large room with a recessed mezzanine.

 

Although LUX Tower is one of the city’s most histo­ri­cally signi­ficant buildings, contem­porary design in line with environ­mental, social and gover­nance (ESG) standards is still possible: maximum energy efficiency, maximum CO2 savings, barrier-free access and the latest digital technology in all office spaces form the basis. An under­ground garage for around 250 bicycles and a bicycle lift complete the facilities at the heart of the Media­spree develo­pment. We are also aiming to obtain certi­fi­cation for LUX Tower in accordance with the inter­na­tional BREEAM sustaina­bility standard.

 

 

 

 

Sustainable design behind a listed facade

Location
Berlin
Type
Working
Client
OBC Propco
Time Frame
2022
Size
Approx. 34.000 m² GFA
Services
LPH 1 – 5 HOAI
Status
Planning
Photo­graphy
Hans Glave and &MICA GmbH
Visua­li­sation
Licht Kunst Licht AG and &MICA GmbH

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