Plow Apartment / Studio Loes

High ceilings, light-filled spaces, and stucco. The historic apartments in former Berlin tenement blocks emanate timeless appeal. The descriptions are accurate, especially in the majestic salons, living rooms, dining rooms, and playrooms. Outside these rooms, however, areas are frequently nested, tilted, and occasionally confusing: foyers, hallways, bathrooms, and kitchens. Space is constantly lost in the shape of recesses and corners, and accessible space is rarely or never used. The floor plan of this 80 square meter three-room apartment in a typical twentieth-century residential structure in Berlin Neukölln was similarly inefficient. For the interior fit-out and conversion, Studio Loes developed a concept that, by applying the “leftover” approach, prioritizing the existing building: instead of planning everything from scratch, the architects analyzed the existing structure of each room to create maximum living quality with only minor changes to the floor plan and clever built-in furniture in the kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom. The result is three rooms that are highly efficient in terms of planning but radically distinct in terms of design, work independently, and harmonize beautifully when combined.

Studio Loes left the living and music room, separated by a white double wooden door, with their original hardwood floorboards and enormous double casement windows mostly intact. The architects designed only the bespoke shelving in the music area, which accommodates a record collection, DJ equipment, and speakers. The bedroom has a custom-made bed constructed of veneered wood-based panels; the bed foundation was installed with the radiator behind it, near the window. This resulted in storage space and an extra shelf. The entire space appears larger and more modern. The integrated lights by Santa & Cole are moveable. They create a color highlight in the room and provide indirect, pleasant lighting.

The kitchen features a cobalt blue linoleum floor and two bespoke stainless steel kitchen units. These are complimented with a made-to-measure worktop with an expanded induction hob. The former storage area has been partitioned and incorporated into the bathroom. The distinctive style blends seamlessly with the new floor plan. The table and stools constructed of unprocessed aluminum are from the LOES.BETA.GMBH product line. The usable space in the bathroom was also increased by converting the former kitchen storage area into a walk-in shower. The new window lets in natural light, while the projection doubles as a seating area. A shelf for personal hygiene items was built into the wall. The custom-made washbasin is built of HIMACS, a homogeneous, solid-colored material with a pure surface that can be customized to your specifications. The washbasin is neatly integrated with the vanity unit, which is also constructed to measure. This has space for a washing machine and a toilet with a bidet. Powdery-warm nude tones dominate the entire bathroom thanks to Complementto ceramic tiles that extend from floor to ceiling.

Studio Loes’ approach to Plow, like with all of the architects’ works, is always based on the “leftovers” approach, a working philosophy devised by Studio Loes: “For us, ‘Leftovers’ are spatial ‘remnants’ associated with a design effort. This encompasses more than just the existing building in material terms. It also contains structural factors like abandoned initiatives, the history of the object, and typologies from previous eras. Taking these ‘leftovers’ seriously, and collecting and utilizing them is critical to our work. Only in this manner, a structure can be grounded in its organizational, historical, and spatial context, its life extended, and the users’ appreciation ensured.”