Philipp Mainzer Designs New Spaces for the Mehdi Chouakri Gallery in Berlin’s Wilhelm Hallen.

Phillipp Mainzer has lent his distinct design language to the Mehdi Chouakri Gallery in Berlin. Located in Wilhelm Hallen in the Reinickendorf district, the former foundry has been converted into an exhibition space, private showroom, archive, office, and viewable depot for contemporary art. The Frankfurt Based office made interventions in the existing space to emphasise both functionality and the existing architecture, including a shed roof.

Preserving the existing industrial architecture with its red brick ornamentation, the hall’s existing steel framework was refurbished, the brickwork cleaned, and the floor plate recast. The new walls, four metres high, divide the space into various functional areas, suitable for the gallery’s program, while still allowing the existing structure to impress. The north-facing windows of the shed roof, which has been carefully restored, provide natural light during the day, while the linear luminaires, suspended at 4.5 metres, support optimal lighting for the gallery walls.

“Our goal was to create an inspiring balance between the existing structure and our new Architecture,” outlines Mainzer. “The impressive historical materials and elements should have a presence. At the same time, our architecture locates the required functions and thus offers a special experience when observing the space in its entireness.”

Rigorous and bare by design the doors, cladding, and partitions of the storage area are all made of galvanised steel to emphasise the interior’s industrial character—without drawing attention from the art. In the adjacent offices, space is divided into distinct functional areas, through the use of simple, integrated fixtures. A library has been configured with a 12-metre long shelf in pale grey, contrasting with the soft, organic furniture by e15, designed by Mainzer himself.

All substance without the excessive embellishment, Meinzer’s Mehdi Chouakri gallery is a fitting alteration for a city built on post war industry.

SCH52 Loft in Berlin by Batek Architekten.

Hello apartment of our dreams! Filled with youthful joy, this Berlin loft would make anyone feel like they’re having a getaway within a home.

[Images courtesy of Philipp Mainzer.]