Upper Eastside Berlin - Kitchen and bathroom made of Corian

A very special kind of building arises in places where history is lived and modernity paves the way for the future. This statement could not be more valid than for the Upper Eastside in Berlin. Following in the footsteps of its prestigious New York namesake the Upper Eastside in Berlin is a top address for design and sophistication. Nomen est omen!

METROPOLITAN ARCHITEcTURe
IN the capital

Historically the location of the Upper Eastside is one of the most important places in Berlin. Friedrichstraße and Unter den Linden are addresses steeped in history. After 500 years of turbulent history the commercial and residential complex »Upper Eastside Berlin« now stands as a regal presence. Eleven stories high, striking, prized and enhancing. Retail stores on the ground floor, spacious offices on the middle floors and exclusive apartments on the two set-back penthouse floors. The Upper Eastside certainly lives up to its name, not least in the luxury apartments that reflect the flair that has made its mark here.

Individual floor plan

The Potsdam architect Annette Axthelm and her team won the tender for the eight largest luxury apartments. A rather delicate matter recalls Annette Axthelm: »The surface areas available for the apartments were the result of the offices below. There were very large apartment surfaces of 300 to 400 m² and, due the extreme depth of the building, large dark zones that had to be optimally illuminated.« Playing off different effects, the opportunities afforded by light and luminosity, the impact of visual relations and a layout that could be changed as required were the primary topics. Design and furnishings of course played their part from the outset in the striving to convert ideas into reality. »All apartments were developed in such a way that flexible spatial groups were created around the shafts of the building services and the stairwell cores. The use of large revolving and sliding doors, also made of Corian in the bathrooms, provided ample space to open and connect virtually all rooms and, where seclusion is desired, to transform them into individually enclosed rooms.«

Lighting effect with white corian

In order to compensate for the lack of light all elements were designed with a maxim proportion of white. With exception of the few parquet areas installed, all apartments were given white epoxy resin coatings, white wall coverings and white Corian fittings. The company Flömö GmbH from Falkenau, that has enjoyed a long, trusting and professional partnership with Hasenkopf Industrie Manufaktur since 1996, was commissioned to carry out the interior fittings. The cooperation of the two companies spans all order sizes. These include both smaller projects, such as one-off washbasin creations, as well as large projects like Upper Eastside. The common understanding ensures the desired results and the experience gained in both small projects and large spatial objects made of Corian give this cooperation the security expected on the market and not least for prestige objects.

bunching of Competence

For Upper Eastside this means: seamless finishing of the rotating and sliding doors in the bathrooms and of the bathroom interiors, which have been implemented in Corian Glacier White for the fittings, the wall coverings and even the baths themselves. In addition to the actual manufacture of the furnishings, Flömö was also responsible for the on-site handling of the project. The competence of the Hasenkopf team came into play during the processing of the Corian and the company was also active in the planning of the specific solutions giving valuable advice right from the start. The realisation of the Corian elements – for the most part special designs – was carried out by Hasenkopf in close cooperation with Flömö and the architects.

Ideal result to corian

The seamless objects and surfaces in particular had be homogenous and had to remain so long-term. »Other alternative materials entailed warranty problems«, recalls Annette Axthelm. Insufficient colour fastness, thermal deformation and visible joints were a point of contention time and again. The interior fitter Flömö managed to fulfil the wishes of the clients, users and architects to the full thanks to the consistent use of Corian and its long-standing cooperation with Hasenkopf.

Photos: © Karen Massine