Co-Housing in Berlin: Urban Living Designed and Developed by Zoomarchitekten

Welcome to our projects series where we present benchmarks of urban living – self developed by architects and creative city makers. This week we want to present you the apartment building AFR 25 by Berlin based Zoomarchitekten.

Many cities today face a shortage of housing – especially affordable ones – and soaring rents. This calls for alternative living but also alternative building solutions. The co-housing model combines both.

Over the last few decades co-housing has become a way for architects to self-initiate and realize projects that would hardly see light of day through conventional project development channels. Especially in Germany, the model Baugruppe (building group) became very popular. In Berlin alone over 1,000 buildings and co-housing groups have been developed over the last 40 years.

One of the architectural practices that shaped Berlin’s Baugruppen culture is Zoomarchitekten. Since 2003 they have developed and implemented numerous co-housing development projects in Berlin.

We want to present you one of these co-housing projects, AFR 25, an apartment building in Berlin-Friedrichshain, designed and developed by Zoomarchitekten:

It is located next to a park and the garden in the back yard repeats the view into the lush green surroundings.

From all apartments you have a fantastic view over the park.

On each floor the units differ in size. With the possibility of combining multiple floors to maisonette apartments, every desired apartment size could be realized.

Location:

Am Friedrichshain 25, Berlin, Germany

Project Data:

• Architect: ZOOMARCHITEKTEN
• Client: AF25 GbR
• Planning/Construction: 2007 – 2008
• Performance stages: 1 – 8
• Residential units: 9
• Storeys: 7
• Gross floor area: 1,633 sqm (17,577.5 SF)