Oasis – Transformation of an Apartment, Berlin | Germany

How much spatial freedom is there in an apartment from the 1970s? Werck Workshop from Dresden have substantially dismantled the standardised layout in a high-rise residential building and uncovered the qualities of the existing design. Exposed concrete now meets pastel green, cherry wood, ceramics and aluminium. Switches and sockets from JUNG's LS 990 range in aluminium blend perfectly into this equally robust and finely coordinated material concept.

The 75 square metre apartment is located in a high-rise building on Berlin's Leipziger Straße which was completed in 1976. The original three-room layout with an internal hallway, dark kitchen and an enclosed bathroom was largely broken up. Exposed concrete surfaces and an open spatial structure characterise the apartment today. The facade areas which are open all the way to the bottom bring plenty of daylight into the interior and offer a clear view of the city.

At the centre is a large, pastel green built-in unit which links together storage space, installations and room divisions. Three sliding doors enable individual areas to be flexibly partitioned off. Ceramic surfaces in green, white and rosé set targeted colour accents. The original built-in cupboards were preserved and rearranged; their wood tone provided the starting point for further elements in oiled cherry. A dynamic interplay of raw concrete, warm wood, colourful ceramics and metal is thus created. The electrical installation blends harmoniously into this material concept. Switches and sockets from JUNG's LS 990 range in aluminium pick up the metal surfaces in the interior. USB sockets complement the installation with contemporary charging options.

The modern transformation of the apartment in the prefabricated building shows how its spatial potential lies in the robust support structures of housing from the 1970s: an open, light residence high above Berlin has emerged from the existing small-scale building using a few targeted interventions.