Realarchitektur - Jens Casper, Petra Petersson, Andrew Strickland, Germany

Project: Residence / Exhibition space for the Boros art collection, Berlin / Deutschland
Here a listed former air raid bunker has been refurbished and extended for an art collector, who also wished to live there. A clear separation has been achieved between the exhibition spaces and the domestic accommodation. Parts of the heavy concrete roof of the bunker were cut away to give access to a new rooftop apartment for the family. This approach - the removal of selected ceiling and wall elements - has been adopted throughout the building, shaping the character of the spaces we now see. The bunker has retained much of its original charm, thanks to the retention of parts of the old ventilation system and graffiti on the - partially whitewashed or unplastered - walls. The new living areas are reached by a staircase and lift inside the old building. Floor-to-ceiling glazing not only makes the rooftop apartment very light, but also affords fantastic views.

The jury's verdict: "The additions and changes have been executed with great sensitivity, the use of materials is restrained and understated."

Website: www.jenscasper.com; www.realarchitektur.de

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