Westlyn

Just around the corner from Wittenbergplatz, a world-famous work of art has found its home at the Urania: Bernar Venet's Arc de 124.5°, a gift from France to Berlin. This sculpture symbolises the reconstruction of dynamic West Berlin after the devastation of war and the division of the city. Opposite this monument, which is lined with plane trees, a new project by the Becken Group, designed by Nöfer Architects, is under construction. With its striking southern elevation, the building strikes a balance between the listed 'Dorland Tower' next door and the long, dynamic street leading towards Tiergarten. In response to the neighbouring buildings to the north and the complex geometry of the firewalls, the building uses the local conditions to create its own distinctive form, with an equally complex building volume. The main entrance is located at the southernmost point, facing Kleiststraße. The top being cut off by one bay results in a spectacularly narrow and high southern facade. While the upper-floor façades are designed to be unobtrusive on all sides, out of respect for neighbouring monuments, the two-storey entrance hall is a geometric extravaganza. Diamond-shaped cross vaults in the arcade and entrance hall create a variety of sightlines that can only be fully appreciated by walking around the building. The representative hall, with its white ceiling that can be used to project a wide variety of lighting scenarios, can be used in many different ways. Not only is it the entrance to a high-quality building, it also enriches the heterogeneous neighbourhood, which offers great potential in this respect. The floors, complete with roof terraces, can be accessed efficiently via a group of lifts with a safety stairwell. This core in the middle of the building ensures the floors can be divided into units of all sizes. The generously glazed façade not only offers beautiful views of Berlin's City West, but also allows for a wide variety of floor plans to suit all requirements, with a 1.35 m expansion grid.