Excerpt: Living Levels, a housing project by Tchoban Voss Architekten, is composed of sculptural elements whose manifold functions appear to be visibly stacked. The relief-like details, which are visible from all angles, provide a visual attraction with the variation from hollow volumes to cantilevers. Set on a concrete pedestal clad with metal panels, the facade of the tower is emphasized by its generously glazed surface.
Project Description
[Text as submitted by architect] The area along the river Spree has, from a historical point of view, not much in common with the open and classic promenades in Paris or Rome. Although in the heart of Berlin, this shore area belonged to the least desirable parts of the city.
This multi-storey apartment building is a part of a recently built extension along the river bank. Due to its location at the head of the former Brommy-bridge, this white solitary building is directly on the water overlooking the Spree promenade. The building is formed out of sculptural elements whose manifold functions appear to be visibly stacked.
The relief-like details, which are visible from all angles, provide a visual attraction with the variation from hollow volumes to cantilevers. Being set on a concrete pedestal, which is clad with metal panels, the facade of the tower is emphasized by its generously glazed surface. The transition between the public and the private area is rather smooth including a public café at the Spree-promenade. Children’s playgrounds are located on the roof of the 1st floor as well as on the terrace along the boardwalk. The two-story shaped entrance hall is also used as a gallery.
The project contains 56 spacious apartments of various sizes and 1 commercial unit. Due to the rotationally symmetric arrangement each apartment has its own private outdoor area with a wide or a panoramic view of two directions. Based on the reinforced concrete skeleton construction, flexible layouts of the floor plans (54 and 434 square meters) allow the inhabitants to design their apartments based on their own preferences.
A significant part of the living conditions are the lavish balconies and terraces. The greened terraces are designed in the tradition of a vertical garden, beginning at the waterside and partially continuing along the tower. The arrangement of the basement includes domestic service facilities, garbage, bicycle storage room and a warehouse. The development of the structure takes place through a double lift facility – one of them is functioning as a firefighters lift.
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