Blueberry Inn
New youth centre – a meeting place for the local children and youth
The Blueberry Inn is a new building constructed as an addition to the existing building in order to house a different programme. The new facility must meet many demands and requirements.
URBAN DEVELOPMENT
The building is set within urban surroundings that divide the individual spaces in front of and behind the building into different zones according to use. The plan is to grant access to the garden at the back of the property only to children who have ‘earned’ access to the building. The garden should therefore only be accessible via the building. A forecourt will also be created as a space for people to linger upon arrival. The position of the building defines both of these areas clearly, creating a ‘town square’ in front and a ‘back garden’ without the need for additional fences or barriers. The two exterior areas are well-proportioned in terms of length and width, and each is designed differently to have unique spatial characteristics.
Projektdaten
- Client: Bezirksamt Neukölln
- category: competition
- Award: 1.price
- Typology: Youth centre
- City: Reuterstraße, Berlin
- CPH: 1-9
- Architects: Partner und Partner Architekten
- Team: Ulrike Kube, Silvia Grossinger, Jae-Young Lee
- Landscaper: JUCA architektur+ landschaftsarchitektur Berlin
The building – robust and inviting
The idea was for the building to look friendly and inviting while being clearly recognisable as a youth centre. At the same time, the facade materials also needed to be resistant to vandalism. The two outdoor areas were to be clearly separated in an imperceptible way. To achieve this, the ground-floor facade of the building is composed of gabion baskets covered in Virginia creeper or ivy. This green wall is mostly closed, with a main opening at the entrance area that can be easily closed in the evening and at night with a roller grille. This creates an atmospheric wall of vegetation facing the ‘town square’, which effectively meets the site requirements without creating the appearance of a boundary.