Urban reinterpretation with a ceramic façade
A new part of Berlin is developing between industry and the city, and in the middle of it all is a building that makes this change architecturally visible: the INK - Inspire Neukölln. Built on the site of a former printing works, the new building offers space for contemporary working environments and a new urban culture. Designed by RKW Architektur +, the project focuses on openness, flexibility and a precise use of materials.
Although the surrounding area is still characterized by traffic, commerce and infrastructure, the building deliberately opens up into the urban space. A publicly accessible mezzanine floor invites people to linger, and the shimmering ceramic façade from the Craft series lends the ensemble a presence that extends far beyond the site.
An architectural echo of Berlin's commercial courtyards
The INK takes up the typology of Berlin's commercial courtyards, but interprets them for the 21st century. Two six-storey wings rest on a solid base and frame a sheltered inner courtyard, which is designed as a publicly accessible campus. Despite the heterogeneous surroundings, the result is a place with a high quality of stay: trees, seating steps and open zones invite people to linger, both for those using the building and for anyone passing by.
The design combines a clear architectural language with flexibility. Robust plinth zones, generous window areas and modular floor plans ensure sustainable architecture. The lower floors open up invitingly to the urban space, while the upper floors can be used flexibly, for example as offices, studios or the working world of tomorrow. The result is a building type that looks familiar and yet is consistently forward-thinking: urban and adaptable.
Innovative façade design with ceramic depth
The façade with ceramic tiles is an integral part of the architectural concept. Made of the Craft series from Agrob Buchtal, it was created in close cooperation between the architectural office, the client and the manufacturer. Color, format and surface were specifically further developed in order to achieve an expressive and at the same time nuanced effect.
Depending on the weather and the incidence of light, the small-format tiles alternate between blue and green, a real trend color for facades that enriches the cityscape. Their sculptural geometry, combined with rotational directions and offsets in the laying pattern, creates an interplay of light and shadow. This creates an almost fabric-like surface with spatial depth, comparable to a textile fabric that covers the building structure.
The structure is reminiscent of the glazed courtyard façades of former Berlin multi-storey factories, but translates this into a contemporary façade language with ceramics. Precisely because the material appears unusual at first glance, it draws the eye - quietly but firmly.
Precision work and façade tile systems
A thermal insulation composite system with ceramic cladding was chosen for the building envelope. The bonded tiles in a specially developed format fit exactly into the façade grid. This reduced cutting losses and optimized the use of materials, an advantage both in terms of design and execution.
The area of around 8,000 square meters was produced at the Schwarzenfeld plant, including numerous precisely fitting special parts for corners and ends. The production required an increased proportion of tiles with glazed edges as well as millimeter-precise coordination between all project participants. It was precisely this close cooperation that was decisive in ensuring that the idea and execution came together so precisely in the end.
A place with a signal effect
The INK shows how an urban transformation can succeed in terms of function and atmosphere. The design translates the typology of historic commercial buildings into a contemporary design language and creates spaces that can be used flexibly without appearing arbitrary. The ceramic façade combines technical precision with an aesthetic effect. It speaks of material awareness and design aspirations. The result is an expressive building with a façade that does not impose itself, but is memorable.
