This 40 sqm Altbau apartment in Berlin, Kreuzberg, with a ceiling height of 3.57m required additional storage, a library for books, and a working area. There was also a desire to create a defined living area and to make better use of the fairly oversized entrance space, while partially separating it from the kitchen and dining area, which form the main focus of the apartment.
The visual connection from the entrance to the large window that leads to the balcony, which allows in natural light and creates a sense of depth in the space, was an important quality to preserve. Two key interventions were designed to meet these requirements.
The first is a full-height library storage unit in marshmallow pink decorative panels, which acts as a gateway between the entrance area and the kitchen-dining space, without compromising natural light or the view. This gate element functions as a library, with two center-facing shelves and another oriented toward the dining area, with shelves of varying heights to accommodate books and personal items. The upper portion of the unit consists of closed cabinets that provide additional storage.

The second intervention, in the bedroom, is a mezzanine that elevates the bed, creating a new workspace beneath it as well as a small living area near the windows. The metal staircase is designed with a circular perforation pattern to ensure that the desk receives sufficient natural light and does not feel enclosed.
The mezzanine, desk, and staircase all form a single element made of white powder-coated steel. The guardrails and a bedside shelf are separate metal components, added to enhance safety, functionality, and comfort.
The first three steps of the mezzanine are designed as a multifunctional, mobile piece of furniture with wheels and integrated shelving, built from the same material as the library unit.
Through these few changes, the apartment gains new functional areas, such as a living space and a work area, despite its limited size, while establishing a new spatial connection between the entrance and dining area through the newly built shelving.