Case Study
Plattenpalast
Details:
Location: Berlin, Germany
Year: 2009
Design Team: Carsten Wiewiorra
Team: Shell construction: Anna Krüger, Claus Asam, Claudia Westermann-Stubenazi, Jan Kindereit; Expansion: Anna Tscherch
Program: Art Gallery/Residential
Reuse info:
WBS 70 panels used: 13 parts
Windows: 12 panes with aluminum frames from the Palace of the Republic
Project:
[Text description translated from the project statement on the official website of HARQUITECTES – All rights to the content belong to the original author]
The Plattenpalast consists of dismantled large surface panels of the WBS 70 prefab building type and was developed as a research project by TU Berlin, led by Claus Asam from the IEMB, in collaboration with the Berlin architecture office wiewiorra hopp architekten as a prototype.
It is the first project in Berlin where old panel building elements were reassembled into a new building. The idea of architects Anna Hopp and Carsten Wiewiorra was awarded a prize by the Berliner veilfach Nachwuchsarchitekten and published. The expansion followed sustainable construction criteria, using only recyclable, environmentally friendly, and sustainable materials. The panels were taken from the Palace of the Republic and incorporated into the recycled panel building in Berlin-Mitte.
On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Plattenpalast was opened in early 2009 as a gallery with changing exhibitions of installations, photography, sculptures, and painting. In 2015, the gallery was converted into “Living in Minimal Space,” with selected exhibitions still taking place.
The basic research for the project was funded through federal research grants, private funds, and sponsorship from various companies.
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Living in the tightest space without sacrificing comfort and aesthetics – with this concept for modern urban living, the experimental space “Plattenpalast” was created. Based on studies at the TH Ostwestfalen-Lippe / Detmold School of Architecture and Interior Design, under the leadership of Prof. Carsten Wiewiorra, a minimal space was developed and realized in the Berlin gallery Plattenpalast.
The central idea was to develop clever and affordable solutions for reduced space availability in growing cities, especially in times of increasingly scarce housing. The “Intelligent Wall” incorporates the kitchen, bathroom, and storage space, leaving as much free space as possible for the resident. Based on this floor plan, the “Multifunctional Furniture” concept was developed by the architects using recycled materials and components.
The “Bathroom-Kitchen-Furniture-Space” was specifically designed from the outset for the potential realization in the Berlin Plattenpalast. This innovative mini-gallery, covering just 30 square meters, opened in 2009 and was the first project in Berlin where old panel building elements were used to create a new building. In addition to the reuse of large surface panels, the interior of the gallery was also built according to sustainable construction criteria, utilizing as many recycled and environmentally friendly building materials as possible.
The project was awarded the AIT-Special Award | Best in Interior and Architecture 2016 in the “Living / Housing” category.
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© Image credits: wiewiorra studio