GEISBERGSTRASSE
A new culture of living
Conversion and extension of the post and telegraph office
Location: Berlin-Schöneberg
Client: COPRO Projektentwicklung GmbH
Competition: 1st Prize
Year: 2020
Service phases: Preparation and Brief, Concept Design, Developed Design, partially Technical Design, partially Construction (HOAI 1–4 (5), 6–7 (8))
Architecture: O&O Baukunst
Cooperation: fd-ingenieure, Müller-BBM GmbH, WINTER, Beratende Ingenieure für Gebäudetechnik, hhpberlin – Ingenieure für Brandschutz GmbH
Awards: FIABCI Prix d’Excellence Germany 2020, GOLD in category “Housing“
Certification: DGNB Gold
The design of the outdoor facilities for the new ensemble pursues the goals of open space diversity and development of the site´s identity. The basis for the high quality of the open spaces is formed with the urban planning approach, which creates different and special spaces through the targeted placement of the buildings: the green courtyard landscape with play opportunities, the fountain courtyard as a representative area for recreation, the private gardens, the passageways as well as the balconies and roof terraces.
The outdoor areas function as a balance to the dense building development and serve as a high-quality extension of the living space. Ten private gardens on the ground floor, twenty-one private roof gardens and seventeen roof terraces are offered.
Exciting passageways open up the garden realm in the courtyards of the listed post office building.
The contemporary design of the open spaces offers three different characters that bring different places to their full effect:
The fountain courtyard creates a garden oasis in the inner courtyard with light-coloured, high-quality concrete blocks, evergreen topiaries, grasses and the tranquil sound of a modern fountain. It is canopied by the elegant, translucent crowns of mock beeches. (Nothofagus antarctica)
The western courtyard landscape offers flowing spaces in which places to play and stay are embedded. The lawns contain seating landscapes made of high-quality wood and play areas for different age groups. Various fruit bushes, rowan trees (Sorbus ssp.) and maples (Acer ssp.) offer diversity in a colour scheme of red, white and green, that harmonises with the old post office building.
Facing the green border of the neighbouring property are private gardens with a view into the greenery of the fence in front of the neighbouring trees, planted with different varieties of clematis. Large terraces make it possible to create one’s own gardens next to the house. These are framed by evergreen boxwood and richly flowering dogwood varieties. (Buxus sempervirens, Cornus ssp.)
