Stralauer Halbinsel urban plan, Berlin, Germany

Stralauer Halbinsel urban plan, Berlin, Germany (1992-1997)

Herman Hertzberger, Laurens Cobben, Henk de Weijer, Folkert Stropsma, Roos Eichhorn, Cor Kruter, Andrew Dawes

The urban quarter of Stralau was originally almost entirely given over to industry. The brief required that a number of valuable features from that era should be retained and reallocated so that they could be incorporated in the new housing development. Such recycling not only adds a different hue to the residential ambience, which would otherwise be exclusively that of new-build, it also keeps the memory of the former occupancy alive. Our urban concept is based on rows of blocks reaching 'from water to water'. This parallel structure brings a visual openness that ensures there are unobstructed sight lines to both waterfronts. The design's distinctive grid of rows running north-south, was superimposed on the site in such a way that the retained architectural features and the remains of the original street pattern could be fitted into it. The end result can accordingly be viewed as a superposition of existing and new structures.

Following this urban plan, AHH also designed various houses on the site.

Address

Stralau, Berlin, Germany

Size

2300 dwellings

Photos

Wasserstadt GmbH, Uwe Rau, Anja Wolter and Dirk Laubner