Barkow Leibinger

The 300 meter long Kynaststrasse site near the active Ostkreuz train station in Berlin is consistent with infill sites where previously difficult sites near infrastructure like rail lines or highways have become more desirable as the city becomes denser and with real estate prices climbing. The Schlangenbader Strasse housing estate (terraced housing over the Autobahn) or ICC Congress Center near the Autobahn are megastructures of the 1970s built in the former West Berlin constructed to generate much needed programming including housing. As marginal and difficult sites these have become more valuable as the city finds strategies for urban density in a sprawling Berlin. Industrial in character the DGNB Gold certified B:HUB work/ loft building is situated in one of these sites along the S-Bahn Rail embankment. In-line with local zoning it acts as a large-scale acoustical screen protecting the residential housing behind it.

Ranging in height from 6 to 10 stories the building zig-zags along the rail embankment to break down the scale of its length. Its relatively narrow width (20 meter) allows for daylight through industrial scaled fenestration from both sides. The building’s higher Kopfbau (or head building) inflect (face) to the train station and back bay (Rummelsburg) which also connects to a large public stair/ terrasse which connects to the landscaped base building.

Topotek 1, the landscape architects, further integrate the building into its context by developing both hard surfaces and soft/ green ones. The base/ terraces are marked with a zig-zagging path of historically typical stone pavers which intersect through a series of landscaped planters, offering sites for leisure and encounter/ meeting. The terrace concludes on the bay-end with a large stair which leads to public bike and pathways along the waterfront.

Programmatically the building generates high ceiling loft/ workspaces while its ground level is given over to 2 entrance lobbies, a supermarket for the community, fitness, kindergarten, and cafeteria, all over underground parking. The centrally located cafeteria is accessible from two sides and characterized by exposed concrete, a seamless poured light gray floor and highly glossed green tiles.

Similar to residential typologies, the building’s exterior is articulated by balconies, loggias, and terrasses at all levels to provide desirable exterior spaces for a post-Covid work world. Windows are operable. The interior lofts are industrial in character with exposed mechanical systems, high ceilings, and can be used as open space or broken down into single office spaces.

Complimenting the undulating facades, and also industrial in nature, the glass and ceramic façade contributes decisively to the B:HUB identity, urban response, and plasticity.  The outer skin is conceived as a spatial layer, Its depth, structure and rhythms are animated when moving past the facades on-foot, by car, or train. The ceramic elements by NBK are 100% recyclable. They are extruded into white concave flutes which vary in scale and form and are infilled between concrete frames and deep frame window fenestration.