An ex-commercial space of over 200 square metres with Prussian vaults is converted into a loft for a couple. The open, large-room character is preserved by keeping the ceiling clear. Coat storage, study, guest room and the separation between kitchen and dining appear as freestanding, sculptural insertions.
The starting point is a typical Berlin factory floor with exposed brickwork and steel beams. The aim was to retain the spatial generosity while creating clear residential zones.
Rather than full partition walls, freestanding built-ins structure the plan. Raw brick is paired with calm, precise geometries and restrained tones; the smooth kitchen frontage provides a crisp counterpoint. The Prussian vault ceiling remains fully visible and is lit with bespoke fittings. A continuous floor — the existing concrete screed, wet-ground on site to a terrazzo finish — ties all areas together.
Openness is maintained; long sightlines run along the steel elements. The insertions zone the layout without interrupting the flow.
In the living area, the guest room sits as a timber volume — the ‘cocoon’. Daylight enters via its own rooflight. The double-curved shell comprises 850 distinct components in structural timber. A custom script drove the automated cutting logic; installation followed the digital model for a precise, seamless fit.
