MVRDV has just begun construction on the LXK Office and Residential Campus in Berlin. Situated in Friedrichshain, near Berlin Ostbahnhof, the development spans approximately 61,200 sqm and boasts city center views from its green rooftops and terraces. Designed as two buildings, a horizontal band encircles the middle of either structure, serving as a distinctive landmark in Berlin.
The scheme features 9,350 sqm of residential space and 51,850 sqm of business and commercial space, and is located in an area renowned for its thriving creative scene. A large green public plaza has been designed by opening up the corners of both buildings, which are intended for business endeavors, including eateries, small-scale retail, and community services. This internal pathway helps to enhance the CBD East corridor that connects Alexanderplatz to the Mediaspree neighborhood by improving pedestrian traffic connections to nearby sports and cultural institutions.
Berlin is one of the most verdant metropolises in Europe but equally a dynamic, ever-evolving city, and nowhere is this more apparent than in Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg. Developments from Alexanderplatz to Mediaspree and beyond, together with vibrant economic activity and deep talent pool, are shifting Berlin’s center of gravity eastwards, and the mixed-use LXK project will continue to engender lively neighborhoods, ensuring Berlin’s future remains bright. -- Jacob van Rijs, founding partner MVRDV.
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Social Spaciousness: MVRDV Reimagines the Future of Co-LivingOne characteristic that sets the design apart is the continuous horizontal band of light surrounding each structure, giving it a unified visual identity. Perched atop the city's Holzmarkt, the band links the rooftops and inner courtyards with the adjacent urban village and creative areas. The layered landscape system reflects the project's social and environmental sustainability objectives, created by integrating accessible courtyards on the ground floor and complementing them with terraces on the intermediate and rooftop levels. This design approach adds to a holistic, ecologically responsible architectural solution while also improving the building's aesthetic appeal. The structure, which is anticipated to obtain LEED Platinum certification, positions itself as a renewable energy source by incorporating elements like PV panels, total fossil fuel elimination, and rainwater reuse.
The flexible office concept allows tenants extensive adaptability. In fact, office layouts are distributed over ten stories in each building, wrapping around the cores of the buildings to maximize floorplan capacity and offer agile spaces to meet a range of tenant requirements. The asymmetrical shapes of the semi-transparent panels on the exterior emphasize the project's scale and design blend in with the surrounding environment. In addition, natural ventilation is provided throughout the offices by manually operated windows integrated into vertical panels. Berlin's office volumes are crowned with green, easily accessible rooftop terraces that provide sweeping vistas of the city's changing skyline.
Additionally, the scheme prioritizes bicycles and other soft mobility over cars to achieve Germany's strict mobility certification requirements. In addition to reducing the number of available automobile parking spots, the project provides over 800 bicycle spaces that are readily accessible from the buildings. This encourages the neighborhood to adopt environmentally responsible practices using public transportation and bike lanes.
In recent similar news, MVRDV has just released a new design study exploring how co-living can help shape the future of housing. The study addresses modern housing needs, including flexibility, sustainability, and community, while tackling the climate crisis and affordability issues. Additionally, the studio has just introduced its comprehensive plan and architectural vision for constructing the Gate M West Bund Dream Center in Shanghai. Formerly home to a cement plant factory, the design uses the existing structures for cultural programs and combines them with new structures to house new functions. Finally, MVRDV has won the competition to design two structures within the Tianfu Software Park in Chengdu, China.
