Mehringdamm 51, Berlin

The simply decorated, four-storey rendered building at Mehringdamm 51 is part of the characteristic perimeter block development between Gneisenaustraße and Bergmannstraße in ‘Kreuzberg 61’. Built in the 1860s, the neighbourhood is still characterised by the so-called Berlin Mix – a mix of residential and commercial buildings. The property at no. 51 is built on with a front building, three side buildings, two side wings and a coach house. This creates four courtyards of very different dimensions and shapes. The building complex now houses 25 residential and 14 commercial units. For this reason, the open spaces were also redesigned in connection with the building renovation 2017-2020. As part of this, old outbuildings and basement walls that were no longer functional were removed to create more space for planting and recreational areas.

The unifying element for the four different inner courtyards is the uniform design language and materiality of the surfaces and design elements.
All of the pathways are paved with a simple, woven paving that allows seepage. A selection of seating invites people to linger and encourages neighbourly encounters and communication at Mehringdamm 51. In addition, all courtyards are structured by planting islands, concrete seat walls and lush border planting. In addition to beautifully shaped solitary shrubs, structurally strong shrubs, perennials, grasses and ferns are also used. The balanced combination of plants offers attractive flowering, autumn foliage and fruit all year round.

In addition to functional areas (disabled parking spaces, bicycle parking spaces, housed rubbish collection point), the first courtyard houses a play area with a sandpit, individual haptic-visual ceramic paving stones in the path surface and benches. There are also bicycle parking spaces and a rubbish collection point in the second courtyard. There, two central planting islands with their striking edging made of wide concrete elements with wooden supports serve as a central eye-catcher and seating area. In the third courtyard, in addition to a central planting island, there is a striking six-metre-long bench along the wall. The fourth courtyard at the back has a more intimate character. In addition to the richly planted green areas, there is a wooden deck that can also be used for gatherings or small events in the greenery.