Ronski+Burke were commissioned to examine a large university site in Berlin-Karlshorst as a prelude to purchase by the semi-state HOWOGE for redevelopment as a residential complex with 300 apartments and associated facilities.
The site of just under 3 hectares forms a gateway to the centre of Karlshorst. Parts of the existing buildings are listed and were to be retained. The preferred mix included a large proportion of apartments suitable for families. Additionally shops, a child daycare centre and a care facility for Alzheimer patients were included in the accommodation brief.
The process involved several rounds of negotiations with the local planners and the client with the aim of providing an economically feasible project within the constraints imposed by the urban planners. The client wished to avoid the necessity of going through a long area development plan process which can add two years to the project schedule.