Berlin, Germany
Located in the suburban Grünau district of Berlin, Footbridge on the Water Residential Building by LOVE architecture and urbanism with landscape architects ManMadeLand is a building shaped by the footbridge as a space for taking in the views and interacting with neighbors.
The Dahme waterscape is of exceptional quality and beauty.
Here, natural space, recreational qualities, and industrial charm are combined with the peace and serenity that rivers exude.
To stage this unique natural quality to the maximum is the central design idea of the residential building: A large-scale, eight-meter-deep pier in front of the actual building leads the individual apartments very close to the water – so that the apartment and water seem to merge.
The jetty is a hybrid of private balconies or open spaces and at the same time a development element.
Thus, the footbridge stands for views, leisure, recreation, pleasure, and enjoyment, but also for social interaction, community, and sense of togetherness.
It “stands” for a kind of bathing lake effect.
You can say this footbridge is the building because it shapes the house visually and also in terms of content.
It is both the face and the soul of the building.
Three materials characterize the building: wood, aluminum, and concrete.
Wood in itself is synonymous with themes such as water, jetty, raft, or canoeing and aluminum has a hygienic effect.
In this case, the designers especially appreciate the material’s ability to easily mirror the light and color of its environment and thus interact with its surroundings, such as when water meets the sky.
Concrete is used as another natural material round off the mix.
Similar to wood, concrete has a certain depth and naturalness, which stands for safety and durability.
All apartments are designed to have two Cardinal points.
This allows the residents to experience daytime but also seasons intensively.
The building, with its 28 residential units in the Grünau district of Berlin has four full floors and one stacked floor.
Project: Footbridge on the Water Residential Building
Architects: LOVE architecture and urbanism ZT GmbH
Design Team: Ines Routil, Benedikt Zipper, Sigrid Derler, and Stefan Schaffer
Engineers: Lorenz Consult ZT GmbH
Landscape Architects: ManMadeLand
Client: Private
Photographer: Jasmin Schuller
