palais varnhagen residences by david chipperfield top out in berlin

a david chipperfield-designed residential project has topped out in berlin, ahead of its expected completion at the end of 2016. the scheme, named palais varnhagen, comprises 50 apartments and two commercial units on a centrally positioned site that has remained undeveloped since world war II. the building’s design features a deep recess from the second storey upwards, opening the structure to the street. this south-facing, U-shaped plan ensures that each residence has plentiful daylight.

the building’s design features a deep recess from the second storey upwards
all images courtesy of palais varnhagen berlin / artprojekt (unless otherwise stated)

developed by the artprojekt group, david chipperfield’s scheme offers spacious townhouses in the style of 19th century salons. these bourgeois homes allowed people from different areas to congregate and exchange ideas. apartments feature 3 meter floor-to-ceiling doors with bronze handles, recreated 19th century panel parquet flooring, and underfloor heating. meanwhile, master bedrooms offer private dressing areas and en-suite bathrooms — the latter of which are clad with light travertine, with separate shower cubicles lined with contrasting mosaic tiles.

the U-shaped plan ensures that each residence has plentiful daylight

crowning the development is ‘P1’, a 382 square-meter penthouse located on the building’s sixth floor. the residence also includes a separate sleeping area on the storey above, preserving a sense of privacy. here, ceiling heights reach up to 6 meters, and rooftop terraces offer sweeping views across the city. the living area includes a spacious floor plan capable of accommodating a range of events. the penthouse preserves the large-sized panel parquet flooring with frieze edging, while the other rooms are adorned with appropriately coordinated floorboards. a total of three fireplaces instill a warm and welcoming atmosphere, while the bathrooms reference luxury spa design.

apartments feature 3 meter floor-to-ceiling doors with bronze handles

as with all buildings of the artprojekt group, contemporary art forms an important part of the project’s architectural ensemble. a special emphasis is put on the art installation by christian hoischen, which was specially developed for palais varnhagen. construction work is expected to wrap up in late 2016. see other projects by david chipperfield on designboom here.

master bedrooms offer private dressing areas and en-suite bathrooms