Near the city’s famous boulevard Kurfuerstendamm, the building strengthens its context without submitting to it. Spanning the length of an unusually wide lot, the house is anchored by a central main entrance, thus typologically distinguishing itself from its surroundings. The façade’s clear horizontality – a nod to Haussmann’s Paris – is emphasized by the strong, continuous lines of the balustrades. The central, gently curved avant-corps resting on tectonically credible consoles carefully maintains the horizontal nature of the façade. Historically, residential buildings in Berlin were erected as plastered masonry structures, and Eisenzahnstrasse 1 was conceived of and realized in the same material. As a result, despite its peculiarities, the building seamlessly blends into its surroundings to complement the existing streetscape.

Type: Apartment building Gross floor area: 5.165 m² Status: completed Client: Ralf Schmitz GmbH Year: 2013–2016