Designed by the Berlin-based collective Raumlabor Berlin, “Penthouse Berlin” challenges conventional ideas about domestic space by turning the greenhouse into the primary architectural element rather than a secondary addition. Instead of placing living spaces beside a glazed structure, the project encloses the entire dwelling within a lightweight transparent shell, creating a unique environment where architecture, climate and everyday life are closely intertwined.
Inside this protective envelope sit two more permanent brick volumes that contain the home’s essential functions. The result is a layered spatial composition defined not by fixed rooms, but by a series of transitions between different climatic and domestic conditions. Moving through the house becomes an experience of shifting atmospheres, temperatures and degrees of enclosure.
Rather than maintaining a constant interior environment throughout the year, the project embraces seasonal change as a fundamental design principle. During the warmer months, daily life expands into the intermediate spaces between the brick cores and the glazed exterior. A movable kitchen and generous terrace encourage outdoor living, blurring the boundaries between interior and exterior. In winter, the transparent shell functions as a passive solar buffer, capturing heat and creating a temperate zone around the living spaces.
Environmental comfort is achieved through a combination of simple yet effective strategies. Sliding façade panels, roof ventilation flaps, curtains and adjustable canopies allow residents to regulate sunlight, airflow and temperature according to changing weather conditions. Comfort is not treated as something automatically provided by technology, but as an active process shaped by the inhabitants themselves.
The project was developed through close collaboration between the architects and the client, with adaptability and resourcefulness guiding the design process. Reused materials, self-build principles and a pragmatic construction approach contributed to a housing model that prioritizes flexibility over excess and participation over standardization.
More than a penthouse, the project proposes an alternative vision of urban living, one where architecture responds to climate, encourages user involvement and adapts continuously throughout the year. By focusing on atmosphere, transformation and everyday interaction, “Penthouse Berlin” demonstrates how domestic architecture can become a dynamic framework for living rather than a static enclosure.
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Photo: (c) Frank Huelsboemer