2018 Architecture Awards

Build 2018 Architecture Awards 44 rawing on the beauty of Berlin, Lena works to create truly unique projects that will enhance the city, as she highlights. “When I was still a student in my early 20s living in Frankfurt/ Main the small architecture firm at which I was freelancing won the competition to build the office building of the Federal President. I was honoured to take part of the historical occasion reinstating Berlin as the capital of Germany and I took the opportunity and offered myself as back- up support in the firm´s Berlin subsidiary as often as I could. I moved to Berlin and worked in larger architecture firms on a couple of office and administrative building projects. “Thanks to this experience, ten years ago I started my own company. My observation was and still is that people from all over the world and the rest of Germany are moving to Berlin. Unfortunately, Berlin has been in a bit of hibernation for a long time in terms of development and there is a huge demand for all kinds of residential and commercial buildings. There are a lot of historic buildings in Berlin and many of them are under monument protection guidelines with all the restriction that come with their status. A lot of the buildings were not maintained through the Cold War. Most of the buildings in Berlin still need a technical overhaul (heating, insulation, kitchen, electricity, bathroom, fire defence etc) as well as a historically accurate ‘beautification’. This is where I come in.” As a result of her focus on beautifying the city, Lena has undertaken a number of projects across a range of sectors, as she explores. “Among my recent success stories was when the new owners of a classic 1920s house by visionary German architect Bruno Taut asked me to rebuild their house. It was a great challenge and I had to do some research to create a house that honours its heritage, but as a cosy and contemporary family home, not a museum. My latest project was the renovation of a historic apartment in a classic residential building in the centre of Berlin. My client is a female performance artist who relocated to Berlin from New York and who has very clear ideas for the space, and who also shares my obsession with quality and attention to detail. For example, we could not find matching historic bathroom tiles and so we had them custom made in Paris - and for much less than you would expect. “Additionally, I have worked on a couple of commercial projects in historic buildings including a movie theatre and a concept store but nowadays I mainly work for private clients who want my advice and support to build, rebuild or renovate their residential homes or a weekend cabin in the countryside. It is fair to say that the focus of my work is on interior design and I am happy to provide my clients with one stop solutions that include revamping the existing space or building a new structure entirely and crafting its atmosphere. This involves the selection of furniture, surface refinements, colours, and lighting. If the right choice in fixtures is not readily available I design it myself and find the craftsman to build it.” Looking ahead, Lena’s focus will be on working towards her mission and continuing to offer clients a truly exceptional service, as she proudly concludes. “Overall, my mission is to create both harmonious and functional spaces that meet the demands of their inhabitants. I try to identify the needs of my clients, paying specific attention to details and choosing furniture and materials that will outlast short-sighted trends. This will remain my ongoing focus as I look towards an exciting future.” Best Residential Architecture & Interiors Firm 2018 – Berlin & Best Modern Living Renovation Project: Reihenhaus von Bruno Taut Lena Klanten is a Berlin based Architect offering a range of services to support her clients. We invited her to tell us more about her work and the secrets behind her success. D AR180047 Company: Lena Klanten Architektin Contact: Lena Klanten Address: Spindelmühler Weg 24, 12205 Berlin Germany Website: www.lena-klanten.de