Engelhardt Courts, Berlin

An ensemble of buildings arrays the site of a former brewery set in the inner city. The remaining, but heavily remodelled entrepreneur's villa and a warehouse from the sixties have been integrated into the development without relinquishing their autonomy. The surrounding residential development adjacent to the block edges is being structurally supplemented with new front buildings. A U-shaped inner development gives rise to two differently characterized courtyards---a public business park and a leafy residential courtyard. Building interstices are interwoven with the urban space at both courts.

All building sections are subject to a modular skeletal structure suitable for accommodating different uses and dwelling sizes. The various buildings are erected with a few uniform materials, the uniform use of yellow-brown brick being the distinctive element.