Preserve and display

Philipp Mainzer, Office for Architecture and Design, is contributing to a sustainable revitalisation of Berlin's Wilhelm Hallen with the redesign of the spaces for Galerie Mehdi Chouakri. The concept can be explored for the first time during Gallery Weekend, which will take place from 29 April to 1 May 2022.

4/26/2022

The old Winkelhof iron foundry, an industrial site designed between 1898 and 1918 by the master mason Christian Friedrich Malingriaux and planned from 1902 by the architect Hermann Streubel, is currently coming to new life: since its closure in 2014, the heritage-protected site, which is now being renovated piece by piece, had been shut down. In addition to the renovation of the iron framework and the new casting of a concrete floor slab, this also includes the renewal of the shed roofs, through which a lot of daylight now falls into the halls. The area in Berlin-Reinickendorf offers a total of 20,000 square metres of space, which is then available for offices, exhibitions, appartments and cultural events. In addition to the lighting manufacturer Bocci, the new tenants also include the renowned gallery Mehdi Chouakri: a space of 1,000 square metres is to be created here that will serve both the exhibition of art and its mediation and offer both a depot and a workshop area.

Philipp Mainzer, founder of the e15 brand, has combined all the desired functions in an interior design concept for the gallery. Clear, reduced forms, which above all emphasise the properties of solid wood, are characteristic of e15's style - and so the trapezoidal area is divided into the individual functional areas by means of built-in elements. The gallery's extensive library, for example, is placed on a 12-metre-long shelf. Like the walls, it is bathed in a soft light grey, which visually forms an arch to the concrete floor. The industrial architecture of the former factory halls is also integrated into the new structure via open ceilings and impressive steel struts, and continued with metal room dividers. Flexible use is created by e15 with freestanding furniture such as the classic "Houdini" chair by Stefan Diez in oak veneer and custom-made tables or benches. The warm look of the wood and its pleasant feel also provide a contrast to the cool elements in the room. Meanwhile, a linear lighting system that runs across the room ensures an optimal lighting situation in the evening hours. The e15 concept can be explored for the first time at the Gallery Weekend Berlin, which will take place from 29 April to 1 May 2022 – works by Swiss artist John M Armleder will be on display. (am)

Gallery Weekend Berlin
29 April - 1 May 2022

Friday, 29 April, - 6 - 9 pm
Saturday, 30 April, 11 am - 7 pm
Sunday, 1 May, 11 am - 7 pm

Wilhelm Halls
Kopenhagener Straße 60-72
13407 Berlin