KUEHN MALVEZZI, ULRICH SCHWARZ, BERLIN · Torstrasse 86 in Berlin Mitte

ULRICH SCHWARZ, BERLIN

With retail space on the basement and ground levels, this seven-story apartment house rises up from a lot just 11 meters wide in the center of Berlin. While the stuccoed north-facing front facade is smooth and serene, on the south side the structure is stepped back in stages, giving the apartments generous balconies and terraces oriented toward the sun. The basic floor plan is organized around a central living space that connects two very different sides, extending from the busy street to a quiet courtyard. Large windows bring plenty of light into the 15-meter-deep building. The result is four one-story loft apartments with a two-story penthouse on top.