Refurbishment and Extension Friedrichstraße 126

The complex was surprisingly well preserved and functioned uninterruptedly as a school until 1990. After fifteen years of neglect, the listed architectural building has now been restored to house the new head office for a publishing company. In addition to the careful restoration of the buildings, a two-storey extension faced in masonry was added on top of the garden building, providing generous management office space for the company. The extension follows the footprint of the garden building including the 1884 extension, while preserving the cornices and pediments. It is made out of recycled bricks similar to those used for the Neues Museum project. Precast concrete elements frame slender vertical panes of glass, emphasising the addition as an independent lightweight structure crowning the building.

Internally, the concept of nearly seamless continuity between old and new is maintained; the additional staircase is a continuation of the existing one. It is made out of concrete as an interpretation of the natural stone steps with a simplified metal handrail. The centrepiece of the historic interior is the music hall in the rear building with its rich ornamentation and elaborate detailing of the timber ceiling. This ceiling was removed completely and its flaws were carefully repaired before it was put back in place. Design and implementation were carried out on the basis of a comprehensive survey. The conservation guidelines comprised not only archival research, surveys of the building phases, maps and appraisals of its listed building status, but also probes of colour tests in search of historical pigments. Transition between old fabric and new additions, both internally and externally, is inconspicuous, showing subtle differences while ensuring that the building adheres to the principle of continuity in form.