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The ancillary buildings of the former Berlin Spree shipyard were converted into studio and office spaces with the clear intention of preserving the industrial character of the existing structure. The intervention focuses on carefully positioned openings and a restrained material approach that keeps the building’s history legible while creating contemporary working conditions.
In the lower section, the formerly dark storage rooms were reorganised through generous cuts in the north façade. These openings – designed as large glass doors – echo the internal structural rhythm and project it outward. Each workspace gains a direct relationship to the exterior, opening toward the garden with evenly diffused, glare-free daylight.
New skylights in the existing roof introduce additional daylight and enable natural cross ventilation, establishing a robust, low-maintenance climate concept that provides comfort with minimal technical effort and reinforces the workshop atmosphere of the site. Circulation is deliberately contrasted: a narrow, darker corridor along the firewall emphasises the brightness of the adjoining workspaces. This contrast sharpens the spatial sequence – compressed passage versus open work landscape – and aids orientation within the existing structure.
Materially, the interior remains understated. Original wall textures are preserved, allowing patina and traces of use to remain visible. New additions are clearly legible as a contemporary layer, complementing rather than concealing the old. A concrete walkway connects the two building volumes, creating barrier-free access and emphasising the site’s industrial character while linking studio and office into one coherent ensemble.
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