Paradise in the city
Ambitious architecture and maximum functionality: “The Garden”, a modern residential complex in Berlin’s central Mite district, is insulated from the noise of the city, with green courtyards that boast an almost village-like ambience. The sound insulation provided by the balcony glazing gives the residents of Chausseestrasse peace and quiet in their homes.
“The Garden” is a new, mixed-use quarter that brings living, work and relaxation together in a single concept, with flats to buy or let, town houses, a cafe, an organic supermarket and a variety of other businesses all grouped together around a city garden. But rather than acting as a grey wall that takes away from the effect of the garden, the 17 buildings that make up the complex – some of which are up to seven storeys high – break down the boundaries between the city and the countryside.
The reason for this is the clever way in which the height of the building alternates: the configuration of the balconies, protrusions and recesses varies, and the facade was built using a variety of different materials. Dark-grey and white plaster alternate with metal and imitation-wood cladding. The result is a playful effect whereby the gently broken-up structure of the facade brings together three different elements of the building. A four-storey gate provides a view of the unique city garden. Every aspect of the design works together in perfect harmony.
The green ensemble of buildings harks back to the concept of Berlin’s nineteenth-century courtyard gardens, hauling the idea forward into the new millennium. The protruding balconies, spacious terraces and unusual use of open space create garden paradise that acts as a counter-balance to hectic city life. In order to ensure that residents of the flats facing the street can also enjoy their peace and quiet and a little more space to themselves, transparent balcony glazing has been incorporated into the design as a form of sound insulation.
The Solarlux SL 25 moving balcony glazing insulates the flats from noise measuring up to 22 dB and provides them with extra outdoor living space. The all-glass elements in the flats in “The Garden” have been installed on glass balustrades, which match the building’s architecture and create a facade that runs down to the ground level. Despite their minimalist design, they offer a high level of functionality. The glazing can be opened partially or all the way to maintain that balcony feel, gliding smoothly around corners and rotating inwards by 90° degrees so it can be “parked” out of the way to save space. A total of 64 balconies have been glazed for this project, incorporating 337 glass elements.