Construction Activities 2009-2025

Over the past several years we renovated the buildings of the entire complex. The following provides an overview of the construction work.

2008-09 Building 11: Installing the Kantine

ExRotaprint’s canteen opened in July 2009 inside the 1950s-era, low-rise building located to the left of the entrance. It is open to all guests and functions as the popular hub of the project. The renovation and furnishing of the canteen was financed with surpluses from our first rental incomes.

2009-10 Building 2: Facade Renovation and Windows

The building, constructed in 1904 and modernized in the 1950s, was renovated extensively in accordance with historic preservation requirements and was upgraded to comply with contemporary energy efficiency standards. An exterior thermal insulation system was installed on north- and west-facing firewalls. On the courtyard façade, insulating plaster was applied followed by a finishing layer of fine plaster and a coat of pure white paint. All roof edges were repaired. The original wooden single-pane windows were replaced by wooden insulated glass windows with very slender matching profiles, painted gray. The original 1950s-era style and look was therefore restored.

2010-11 Buildings 17 and 18: Roofs, Rooftop Extensions, and Interior Renovations

The corrugated asbestos roofs of both buildings were removed in two construction phases and replaced by a construction of corregated sheet metal and thermal insulation with a top layer of aluminum sheeting (Kalzip system). On the side of Building 17 facing the street, three highly visible skylights—clad with dark sheet metal panels—were installed as new light sources. On the side of Building 19 facing the courtyard, it was possible, following consultation with the office of historical preservation, to modify the ensemble of buildings under historic preservation protection in a way that goes beyond the simple preservation of the architectural monument. The shed-like rooftop structure comprises a wooden frame construction with sheet metal panel sides and a glazed façade. It houses two rooftop offices that are accessible from the workshops via internal staircases. The flat part of the shed serves as a skylight for the rear part of the workshop on the ground floor. Both rental units share the rooftop terrace. The interior spaces of the building have been completely redesigned: flooring, heating, and electrical systems and restroom facilities have been expanded or renovated, and floor plans were reconfigued to meet the requirements of current users. During this phase of renovation work, the former gatekeeper’s roofed area was also redesigned and a signage directory installed.

2010 Building 24, 4th Floor: Renovation of Interiors and Floors

Numerous interior spaces have been reconfigured to serve the changed needs of users by demolishing existing walls and building new ones. In the process, the electrical systems installed over the past fifty years were replaced, only what was necessary was saved and updated, and hazardous building materials were removed from the building.

2009-12 Building 6: Gutting and Construction of Ten New Apartments

The small building in the back of the complex, constructed in the beginning of the twentieth century, sat empty for at least fifteen years. As a residential building, it has special status within the commercial complex of ExRotaprint. It was completely cleared of pigeon excrement, gutted and, following restoration of the wooden support beams, rebuilt according to new floor plans. The wooden flooring was extended; drywall walls were removed; new electrical, plumbing, and heating systems installed; and doors and windows refurbished. There are eight one-room apartments with showers and open kitchenettes, two of which are rented as short-term guest apartments. Two additional units were combined with adjoining art studios to form studio workspace apartments. The barely usable balconies in the apartments on the leftside of the building were glassed in, generating additional space for the apartments, and a new roof was installed on the top floor. This half of the façade facing the courtyard was clad with an exterior thermal insulation system and painted dark blue-violet. The original color scheme of the interior stairwell was carefully duplicated.

2010-11 Building 1: Renovation of the Roof and Floors

Constructed in 1956, the building had a corrugated asbestos roofing insulated with extremely degraded injected polyurethane foam, necessitating its quick removal. The asbestos roofing was carefully removed and disposed of properly. The same roofing system developed and installed on Buildings 17 and 18, consisting of corrugated aluminum sheeting and a modern thermal insulation system (Kalzip system), was installed. At the same time, flooring, ceilings, and pipes containing toxic materials were removed from interior spaces in multiple locations. New classrooms were created on part of the first floor. In order to avoid disturbing ongoing classroom activities in the building as much as possible, noise-intensive work was carried out during summer holidays.

2010-11 Building 4: Facade and Windows (South-facing)

The south-facing facade of this commercial building, constructed around 1904, was fully restored in the style of the 1950s renovation. The weathered, single-pane windows were replaced by large-format wooden insulated glass windows. Depending on the degree of damage, steel beams over the windows were replaced or selectively reinforced and the masonry refurbished. We reworked the painting of the façade ourselves to achieve the look and feel of a whitewashed brick façade. We decided to renovate the west-facing firewall with an exterior thermal insulation system. The south-facing, five-story building extension, constructed in the 1950s, was, in order to improve energy-efficiency, also covered with a thin, high-insulation exterior thermal insulation system to preserve the visual appearance dominated by the minimal soffit depths. The steel windows with single-pane glazing on this part of the building were renovated in accordance with historical preservation standards and their energy efficiency improved by the addition of insulated glass. At the same time, numerous interior spaces were reconfigured to serve the changed needs of users by demolishing walls and constructing new ones.

2011-12 Building 3: Roofing, Skylight, and Interior Renovation

The single-story, 470-square-meter workshop was completely renovated. Old drop ceilings and superfluous pipes were removed, the roofs bordering Buildings 1 and 4 were upgraded to meet current fire protection requirements. Existing large steel skylights had to be replaced by identical-looking cubic constructions of wood and triple-layer, multi-wall sheeting in order to meet today’s thermal insulation requirements. On the roof, a new thermal insulation layer was added in accordance with energy saving regulations and seals and connection terminals made of zinc sheeting were replaced on protruding buildings components. The building façade received a fresh coat of white paint. Following consultation with the district office of historical preservation, a door was added to the façade. In conjunction with the planning of a required firewall in the middle of the building, it was possible to divide up the space so that it could be rented to two separate workshop-based businesses.

2011-12 Building 4: Remodeling Entrance 2

In order to create a more appealing entrance scenario, we filed an application with the office of historical preservation to move the entryway for Entrance 2. The asbestos flooring was removed and non-load-bearing walls were demolished. The roof of the one-story extension, constructed in 1951, was renovated, thus elimating the on-going water damage caused by interior drainage. Drop ceilings had to be installed in the new entrance as well as in adjacent rental units for fire protection in order to isolate them from the ascending building facade. Entrance 2 has a new entry door made of steel as well as flooring made of black PVC sheeting. Two new rental units were created as a result of the modified floor plan. The new workshop space to the right of the entrance was added to the workshop in Hall 3 next door. After consulting with the office of historical preservation, this unit was given a new courtyard door with a horizontal window on the side.

2011-13 Building 1: Facade and Window Renovation, Interior Construction

The façade of the building facing the courtyard was renovated and restored to match the original 1950s-era color scheme. Damaged plaster was stripped off, cracks were filled with patching compound, and pipes were plastered over. The massive frame around the large glass window on the upper floor received special treatment, soffits were insulated, and a consistent form around the outside was restored. In accordance with the original color scheme, the inset surfaces were painted gray, the surface area under the framing white, and the massive frame red. All steel windows were refinished and painted. The large aluminum window construction on the first floor was refinished, cleaned and the closing mechanisms were refurbished, the steel supports underneath the construction had to be replaced. With the exception of the top row, all glass panes were replaced with VSG insulated glazing. The large, centrally located southern-facing window with steel framing was also completely renovated. All windows have been replaced with VSG insulated glazing, the construction was mechanically refurbished and freshly painted.

During winter vacation in 2011, asbestos flooring was removed from what would become the “Glass Box,” the project room on the upper floor. Since the flooring could not be separated from the existing poured asphalt without releasing a large amount of toxic materials, this had to be removed as well. To refurbish the flooring, poured asphalt was installed with a layer of PVC panels that closely resemble the original 1950s-era flex panels. The heating units were refurbished and benches were built around them with seating surfaces made of wooden planks; the electrical system was also rebuilt. We also worked on other aspects of the interior ourselves in accordance with historical preservation standards, such as the refurbishing and restoration of the glass partitions in the original yellow and black colors, the restoration of the old drop ceiling and the refurbishing of all old surfaces. Then we furnished the room with professional event equipment and blackout capabilities so it can be used as a project space.

2013-14 Building 4: Facade and Window (North-facing), Roof Drainage

Renovating and improving the energy efficiency of the north- and west-facing façades of this building, constructed around 1904, involved stripping off the old plaster and replacing it with thermal-insulating plaster, followed by a coat of pure white paint. Window lintels, the waterproofing of the roof, and window frames were refinished and the windowsills refurbished. The movable casement windows were removed, refinished, and painted.
In addition, the extension located in front, built in 1951, was in need of urgent renovation as a result of water damage. The roof drainage located inside the flat roof was overhauled, and, in the process, the existing roof incorporated and the length of the top cover layer shortened. In the area below, the existing drain was taken out and replaced by a large drainage area with new inlets and connections to the drainage pipes.

2013-14 Building 24: Roofing / Building 4: Attic Insulation

On Building 24’s roof, old roofing material was removed; it consisted of a water-saturated cork layer, which was, as an insulating layer during the time of construction, contaminated with tar impurities. The new roofing was applied to an insulating layer of durable EPS panels as per EnEV requirements. The energy efficiency of the building was significantly improved as a result. Building 4’s attic, located next-door and currently not in use, was insulated with mineral wool. Since Building 4’s façade was insulated in late 2013 – early 2014, minimizing heat loss through the roof was possible.

2013-15 Buildings 24 – 23: Interior Renovation, Lighting, and Rooftop Terrace

Renovating the former “dark space” on the first floor of Building 24, which served as the passageway to Building 23 (both constructed in 1958), was necessary in order to convert the unused area into a fully usable space. After extensive demolition work inside the building and proper renovation of the flooring, new window openings were created in the grid-like façade, which had been bricked up since being built. A 4 x 4.5-square-meter section of the so-called “emergency roof” of Building 23 located in front was removed to create an opening for the terrace. A permit for the newly installed window system was obtained from the office of historical preservation. The system consists of an aluminum facade element located in front, which echoes the grid-like structure of the original reinforced concrete facade. The new element is positioned in front of the existing façade, so that the original construction extends into the interior. The old façade structure can be seen inside the interior space and is reinforced with additional steel supports. The plaster was refinished, the electrical system rebuilt, and a new toilet and small kitchenette for preparing tea added in an adjoining room. New roofing was installed on the terrace and an exterior thermal insulation system was added to the surrounding walls.

2014-15 Building 24, 1st Floor: Interior Remodeling and New Restroom Facilities

Renovation work on this floor consisted of demolishing and rebuidling all of the drop ceilings and partition walls since these did not meet current fire protection standards. Floor layouts were optimized, the electrical system was sorted out and rewired, and new room doors installed. The asbestos floor tiles were removed as required by a professional team and new black PVC floor tiles, very similar in look to the original flooring, were installed. This unit’s outdated restroom facility was completely remodeled and an improved layout with separate toilets for women and men, as well as a kitchenette for preparing tea, were installed in accordance with today’s standards.

2014-15 Building 4: Entrance 1 Foyer and Ground Floor

The detailed and extensive renovation of the Entrance 1 foyer had already been partially completed; the renovation of the adjoining rental units was fully completed. Here, installing a new drop ceiling against the ascending facade was necessary for fire safety, and replacing all old lightweight interior walls between corridors and rental units was needed in order to upgrade this part of the building to today’s fire protection standards. The floor layouts were optimized, asbestos floor tiles were removed, and the electrical system was rebuilt. We decided to install a disabled toilet in the rear of the foyer, which was equipped with a European disabled toilet key. The objective in restructuring the foyer, which can only be completed in the course of future construction work, is to create an entryway that is better organized and improves accessibility.

2017 Building 11: Roof Renovation; Renovation of Canteen and Adjacent Rental Unit
Starting in March 2017, the roof of the single-story building underwent renovation, and a skylight was installed in the rear section. To facilitate the renewal of the internal roof drainage system, the existing roofing was removed and trimmed at the upper layer—a process that also resulted in a significant improvement to the roof insulation. The renovation of the canteen—along with the partitioning of a rentable space in the rear of the building—commenced in April 2017. The canteen officially reopened in mid-July. In the front section of the building—the area dedicated to the canteen—fri möbel und häuser executed a complete reorganization of the canteen’s entire service areas, including the counter and the rear dining room, working according to plans designed by Johannes Dziadek. The kitchen, dishwashing area, storage room, staff changing room, and employee restroom were constructed as a partially two-story, cube-like interior installation featuring a variety of surface finishes and materials.

2017–19 Building 22: Heritage-Compliant Facade Restoration and Interior
The measures undertaken at Building 22 aimed to restore the building’s sharp-edged, cubic character while simultaneously improving its energy efficiency. The concrete surfaces of the facade were inspected for damage and restored; loose and brittle sections were chipped away, reinforcing steel was repaired—and replaced where necessary—and a corrosion-protection coating, a bonding bridge layer, and a new concrete cover layer applied via shotcrete were applied. A minimal layer of thermal insulation—consisting of resol foam panels with a maximum thickness of 40 mm—was then applied to the restored surfaces. In particular, around windows adjoining walls, within reveals, and on protruding cubic elements, the insulation thickness had to be reduced to between 0 and 30 mm to ensure the building’s visual appearance remained unaltered. Subsequently, a reinforced leveling coat and a fine-textured finish coat were applied, followed by a final white coat of paint.The roofs above the 4th floor and the ground floor were also restored; during this process, the existing waterproofing and the original insulation—which contained polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)—were removed and replaced with high-performance insulation panels and a new bitumen waterproofing membrane. The height of the parapets had to be slightly increased to accommodate the new roof assembly; however, the visual proportion of the roof edge relative to the facade insulation was successfully maintained.The heritage-compliant restoration of the intricate metal frames—part of the largely floor-to-ceiling window systems dating back to the 1950s—required a particularly intensive effort.All steel frames were de-rusted and straightened; corroded profile sections were replaced, and the window sashes were restored to full operational and locking functionality before being painted white on the interior side and in an “Iron Grey” shade on the exterior. The restoration of the facades and windows necessitated a wide range of ancillary works involving the heating systems, heating pipes, and interior window sills. Numerous filling and painting tasks were carried out, and sections of flooring were repaired or replaced. A complete renovation became necessary on the fourth floor. The uppermost level of the building was in very poor condition, having been used for decades to house old pressure expansion vessels. The massive bulkhead of the old elevator shaft at the rear of the building was demolished, a wall was removed, and sections of the flooring were chipped away. The electrical wiring was completely renewed, heating lines were extended up from the third floor, and new radiators were installed. Painting and plastering work was carried out, and a new floor, a restroom, and a kitchenette were installed. Within the shaft of the dismantled elevator, new ceiling sections were constructed on every floor, and the small spaces thus reclaimed were allocated to the individual units for use as storage areas.

2017–2019 Building 24 Basement: Installation of 16 Musician Rehearsal Rooms
To ensure long-term operational security and establish a professional basement facility for musicians, a complete redesign was implemented that meets all requirements regarding smoke extraction, fire safety, and sound insulation. Based on a new floor plan, 16 new rehearsal rooms—ranging in size from 20 to 38 square meters—were constructed around a newly created perimeter corridor. The structural shell was built using sand-lime masonry blocks; to minimize sound transmission, the junctions connecting the walls to columns and ceilings were executed using non-combustible insulation material. To ensure that the maximum permissible length of escape routes was not exceeded, a second corridor and exit leading toward Bornemannstraße were constructed. To this end, an additional concrete staircase was built, connecting to the existing stairwell via a new wall opening. Sound-insulating doors and lighting fixtures were installed, and every room was equipped with a basic electrical infrastructure. A sound-attenuated ventilation and smoke extraction system—enclosed in accordance with the fire safety concept—was installed to supply all rooms with individually controllable fresh air and exhaust air. New restroom facilities, including a sewage lifting unit, were installed. New fire doors were fitted at the entrances and within the corridors of the musician’s basement, and a fire alarm system monitoring the entire basement area was installed. To further enhance the quality of sound insulation, additional drywall linings were installed, gaps were packed with insulation wool, and the walls were skimmed and finished. All walls were given a fresh coat of colored paint.

2017–2019 Building 25: Heritage-Compliant Concrete Restoration and Interior Renovation
The objective of the renovation of Building 25 was to preserve its current, heritage-listed appearance—characterized by a coarse, formwork-rough concrete surface—while simultaneously achieving energy efficiency improvements. Depending on their orientation, the building’s facades exhibited varying degrees of damage. The renovation concept stipulated that the facades be treated with varying intensity, corresponding to the severity of the damage they had sustained. A detailed condition survey of the facades was conducted to identify unsound areas, and the damage was systematically mapped. To restore the facade surfaces, two distinct restoration methods were developed and subsequently implemented:

1. Large, contiguous areas with severe damage: These areas were chipped out and subsequently refilled with a new layer of cast-in-place concrete, the mix design of which was precisely matched to the existing concrete. All newly concreted surfaces were cast using rough timber formwork. This process was guided by the existing surfaces, specifically replicating the alignment and width of the original formwork boards. To ensure the required concrete cover over the steel reinforcement, it was necessary to apply approximately 2 cm more concrete than was present in the original structure. To avoid creating visible offsets in the facade, this technique was applied exclusively to large, contiguous areas—typically those bounded by the building’s edges. Subsequently, a translucent glaze was applied to select areas to ensure a harmonious color match with the surrounding surfaces.

2. Minor Damage: The damaged areas were chipped out, filled using a concrete repair system, and subsequently reprofiled. The color tone of the repair system was matched to the coloration of the existing concrete. The texture and contour of the reprofiling were aligned with the existing formwork pattern, and the surfaces were finished flush with the surrounding concrete. This technique was applied to small, localized areas of damage within the existing surfaces. Where necessary, a partial glaze was also applied in these areas to ensure a seamless color transition with the surrounding environment. Finally, the entire concrete surface of the building was treated with a hydrophobic coating.

In the case of the heavily weathered west façade, loose and delaminated layers of concrete were removed down to a level behind the carbonation front; the reinforcement was derusted, supplemented where necessary, and treated with corrosion protection. The entire upper section of the façade—from the third floor upwards, including all cantilevered elements—was re-shuttered in sections and a new layer of concrete was applied. In the lower section, damaged areas were partially repaired and reprofiled.The bay window, in particular, exhibited extensive damage; its supporting column was completely reconstructed. Due to severe damage to the bay window’s cantilevered slab—resulting from years of water ingress—additional rear anchoring into the load-bearing shear wall above the third floor became necessary. The north and south façades exhibited a moderate degree of damage. The parapets and balustrades on the upper floors were completely chipped away and recast with new concrete. Small damaged areas were filled and reprofiled using a concrete repair system. The east façade showed the fewest signs of damage, requiring only localized, minor repairs.

Much like in Building 22, the heritage-compliant restoration of the intricate metal-framed windows—dating back to the 1950s—required a particularly intensive effort. All steel frames were stripped of their glazing, derusted, straightened, and had corroded profile sections replaced; the sashes were restored to full operational and locking functionality, and subsequently painted white on the interior and “Iron Grey” on the exterior. The west window in the third-floor bay was severely damaged; it was completely dismantled and reconstructed using thermally separated steel profiles and fixed glazing, based on the original construction-era plans.

Inside the corner tower, non-original partition walls and restroom facilities were demolished and removed across all five floors in order to restore the building’s original floor plans. A new vertical riser system for water, sewage, ventilation, and electrical services was installed. Each individual floor received a contemporary interior fit-out, including the installation of restrooms and kitchenettes. Walls were repainted, electrical wiring was renewed, and new black PVC flooring—chosen to match the original historic material—was installed, along with new room-spanning linear lighting tracks. Heating systems were partially upgraded. The visually striking coffered ceilings were treated with a specialized fire-retardant coating, thereby eliminating the need to install additional fire-rated suspended ceilings made of drywall.

2022–23 Building 24: Heritage-Compliant Facade and Interior Renovation
The primary focus of this complex and costly project was the restoration of the 1958 grid facade, featuring rough-cast concrete elements, slender pre-positioned concrete columns, and a total of 84 floor-to-ceiling window units made of rolled steel profiles. For the concrete restoration, the same methodology was applied as in Building 25. The asbestos-containing spandrel panels and window sills were professionally dismantled and disposed of; defective sections of the concrete were chipped away, and the existing structure was carefully cleaned. The parapet and the upper-left section of the facade were completely refaced, and a new layer of cast-in-place concrete was applied. Numerous small-scale defects in the concrete anchors, vertical columns, and ceiling connections were exposed by chipping away the surrounding material; the corroded steel was cleaned, treated with corrosion protection, and subsequently filled with a custom-matched concrete mix. The entire concrete structure was treated with the same glaze used on Building 25 and subsequently rendered hydrophobic. New anthracite-colored window sills were installed, and the roofing strip in front of the parapet was re-covered and finished with zinc flashing. To facilitate the restoration of the floor-to-ceiling window systems, all radiators had to be removed and the associated piping temporarily dismantled. The old paintwork was sanded down or smoothed out; the skylights and the mounting frames for the spandrel panels were removed and refurbished, and the window handles were stripped of their old paint layers. On the 3rd and 4th floors, severely rusted window frame sections and masonry anchors had to be cut out and replaced with newly welded components. As in Building 25, the new interior paintwork in Building 24 was executed in pure white, while the exterior was painted in iron gray. New glass panes were installed using new glazing beads. Finally, new high-insulation spandrel panels—clad in stone-gray HPL (High-Pressure Laminate)—were fitted into place. Concurrently with the façade renovation, interior work was carried out—partially on the 4th floor (covering areas not already addressed in 2010), while the measures on the 2nd and 3rd floors were more extensive. To meet current fire safety requirements, all original suspended ceilings were first demolished, and all partition walls were either reinforced or newly constructed; on the 2nd floor, the corridor wall was completely relocated by 30 cm. Simultaneously, the electrical system was renewed; the coffered ceilings in the individual units and the corridor were treated with a fire-retardant coating; walls, doorframes, and door leaves were painted; gaps in the flooring were repaired; and new, uniform light fixtures were installed, utilizing some of the original sockets. The number of heating units was reduced thanks to the improved insulation of the windows.

2023 Building 24: New Elevator
The elevator, dating back to 1958, no longer met current fire safety requirements and had to be dismantled; all old steel frame elements, including the doors, were removed and replaced. The structural dimensions of the elevator shaft remained unchanged. To accommodate the required overhead clearance for the new machine-room-less, rope-driven elevator—and to enable service to the 5th floor—the massive concrete platform of the now-redundant machine room on the 5th floor was cut out. Additionally, several uneven areas on the shaft walls had to be milled smooth. A new elevator, featuring slightly increased interior dimensions, was installed within the existing shaft. The new elevator car is clad in paintable zinc sheeting, features a window facing the ribbon glazing, and is equipped on all floors with four-panel, center-opening telescopic shaft doors. The control panel was installed at an accessible height. The original 1958 wire glass was to be preserved; on the ground floor, a pane of laminated safety glass was installed on the interior side, in front of the existing wire glass. Across all five stories of the shaft, the wire glass was cleaned, the putty was replenished, and the intricate steel frames were refurbished.

2023–24 Building 4, 1950s North Corner: Facade Renovation
The annex building, dating from the early 1950s and located at the northern end of Building 4, was scaffolded for renovation. Work began with the refurbishment of the metal windows and walls of the unit on the 3rd floor. The old glass panes were removed; rusted frame profiles were restored by a metalworker, painted by a professional painter, and fitted with new insulated glass units. The walls and doors were upgraded to meet current fire safety standards. For the facade renovation, any loose plaster was carefully chipped away and missing sections were filled using a lime-cement float finish; the entire facade was then cleaned and recoated with white mineral paint. The window sills were removed and properly disposed of, and new titanium-zinc sills were installed. All metal windows received a uniform gray renovation coating. The roof surface was sealed with a renovation membrane. The coping of the gable wall, the parapet capping, and the suspended titanium-zinc gutter (while retaining the eaves box) were renewed.

2023–24 Building 4, 1st–4th Floors: Interior Renovations
Dating back to 1904, this historic commercial building from the *Gründerzeit* era largely retained the layout and features resulting from the renovations carried out by the Rotaprint company during the 1960s and 1970s. While we had already implemented initial improvements on the 4th floor in 2010, the other floors required comprehensive renovation. Following the demolition of old suspended ceilings and unsuitable partition walls—as well as the removal of outdated shower and restroom facilities—a multitude of detailed measures were implemented across the four floors in accordance with a new floor plan design. These measures aimed to fulfill the requirements of the fire safety concept, improve the spatial layout, upgrade the shared restroom facilities to current standards, and integrate new kitchenette areas. New drywall partitions were erected (or existing walls partially furred out), new doors were installed, and two new vertical risers for water, sewage, and ventilation were fitted. Additionally, the electrical system was renewed, new lighting fixtures were installed, existing windows were refurbished, and flooring was partially replaced. Ceilings and walls were given fresh surface finishes. On each floor, the corridor ceilings were painted in a distinct shade of red, and the restroom facilities were fitted with tiles in varying colors. On the 3rd floor, a new barrier-free restroom was installed. On the 4th floor, original built-in fixtures from the 1950s had survived; these were supplemented and fully restored. In the adjacent studio units, private restrooms were installed and connected to the new utility riser. All sanitary areas were fitted with fixtures, and all kitchenettes were furnished.

2024–25 Building 24, Ground Floor: Storage Areas and Laundry Rooms
Through modifications to the floor plan, the objective here was to implement a specific requirement of our new fire safety concept while avoiding the necessity of installing very large smoke extraction ducts. This project became feasible following the cessation of operations by a long-standing tenant; two other tenants were required to swap portions of their floor space to achieve a significantly clearer spatial layout, whereby areas situated “deep within the building complex” could be connected to naturally lit rooms featuring exterior windows. Corridor areas were reduced and reallocated to the respective rental units. In the small foyer at Bornemannstraße 9, a new opening was created and a new door installed, providing access to a corridor lined with eight storage units—each measuring up to 13 square meters—which also serves as a secondary escape route for the adjacent large rental unit located within the single-story section of Building 23. Additionally, a small new utility unit—equipped with water connections and a washing machine—was created for our new building cleaning service, while a laundry room serving both the canteen and the residential building was established near Stairwell 2.

2024–25 Building 6, 3rd Floor: Renovation
The 40-square-meter unit on the 3rd floor of this residential building had long been used as an artist’s studio and lacked both a toilet and a water connection. Following the tenant’s relocation to another studio within the ExRotaprint complex, the space underwent a comprehensive renovation—mirroring the work carried out years earlier in all other rental units within this late 19th-century rear building—and was converted into a small apartment featuring a shower room and a kitchenette. New drywall partitions were erected, plumbing connections installed, new electrical wiring laid, and floor tiles set. The windows were refurbished, and the original floorboards were sanded down and resealed. Painting work on the ceilings, walls, and doors—as well as the installation of the kitchenette—was completed in 2025.

2024–25 Building 2/22, 2nd Floor: Renovation
All existing interior fixtures within this large rental unit—including walls, ceilings, doors, floor coverings, toilets, and kitchenettes—were demolished and removed, and the entire electrical system was stripped out. The cast asphalt flooring was broken up and disposed of in accordance with regulations. The walls and ceiling in Building 22 were found to be in relatively good condition. In Building 2, however, the walls and ceiling required replastering; old pipes were removed, and resulting voids were filled. A new electrical sub-distribution system was installed beneath the floor level, and water and sewage connections were laid to serve two toilets and two small kitchen areas, respectively. Subsequently, a new screed floor was poured across the entire floor level. The unit was then subdivided into two separate rental units by means of a drywall partition—which included the installation of a necessary emergency exit door—while through-running electrical cables were secured within a dedicated cable tray, and separate electrical supplies were established for each of the two units.

2024-25 Building 23: Roof and Concrete Restoration
The old, damaged roof drainage gutter was sealed off; new outlets were installed within the roof surface—set back from the edge—and reconnected within the rental unit located directly beneath. The newly installed tapered insulation along the existing parapet creates a large basin-like structure, enabling the roof to accommodate and drain a significantly larger volume of water than before. The entire roof received two new layers of bituminous restoration membrane, and the existing mounting curbs for the skylights were resealed using liquid plastic. New edge trims were installed along the rising facade, and the parapet was fitted with new sheet metal cladding. A particular challenge was the handling of the 29 “Rheinland” skylights dating back to the 1950s. The 14 single-shell skylights that remained in their original, undamaged condition were cleaned and preserved. For the 15 skylights requiring replacement, we were able to locate a specialized firm that custom-manufactured double-shell domes to match the original historical dimensions. As a result, the overall visual character of the roofscape was successfully preserved. On the interior, damage to the concrete ceiling and the skylight openings—caused by years of water ingress—was repaired and subsequently restored through professional painting and finishing work. The concrete restoration of the rough-textured facade was carried out in accordance with the methods and insights gained from our previous work on Building 25. The severely damaged parapet located above the entrance area was chipped back to a depth of approximately 8 cm; the exposed steel reinforcement was derusted and re-grouted, and additional stainless steel reinforcement mats were installed. Finally, formwork constructed from rough horizontal planks—designed to replicate the original board-marked concrete pattern—was erected, into which the specially formulated concrete mix was then poured. Along the street-facing parapet, damaged sections of the concrete were partially chipped away; the reinforcement was treated, and new cast-in-place concrete—along with a matching decorative finish—was manually applied. As this side of the building was presumably painted white in the 1990s, the parapet was likewise given a fresh coat of white paint. Conversely, all exposed-concrete sections of the façade were treated with a hydrophobic agent and coated with a transparent anti-graffiti finish.

Building 23, Ground Floor and 1st Floor: Interior Works
Our fire alarm system has been extended to cover the two large units on the ground floor and 1st floor; both levels have been equipped with new fire detectors. On the 1st floor, fire safety upgrades were carried out on the window systems, and a fire-rated suspended ceiling was installed along the rising façade shared with Building 24; additionally, ancillary electrical and painting works were completed. The original glass door connecting Building 23 and Building 24—dating back to the buildings’ construction—was replaced with a smoke-tight fire-rated door.

2025 Building 4 (1950s North Corner), 2nd & 3rd Floors: Renovation
In accordance with the fire safety concept, a second structural escape route had to be established for the two studio units located on the 2nd and 3rd floors of the early 1950s annex. Both studios were successfully connected to the stairwell of Building 6 via a narrow opening cut through two consecutive firewalls. The resulting deep reveals were each fitted with a new entrance door, which now serve as emergency exit doors. Furthermore, the studio on the 2nd floor underwent a comprehensive renovation. The window frames were deglazed, old paint layers were sanded down, the frames were recoated, and new insulated glass panes were subsequently installed. Additionally, the ceiling was upgraded to meet fire safety standards with a new layer of plaster, the electrical system was overhauled, new lighting was installed, and the walls were painted.

2025 Ventilation System Cladding
The ventilation system for the “Musicians’ Cellar” was originally installed in 2018 within the passageway leading to the residential building at Bornemannstr. 10; at that time—in compliance with fire safety regulations—it was already enclosed using a drywall stud framework. To transform this dark, narrow, and unappealing passageway into a more welcoming and weather-resistant space, the enclosure was clad with panels of varying sizes, finished with a colored glaze. Additionally, the concrete walls were repainted, and new lighting was installed.

2025 Building 11: Canteen Renovation
At the end of 2025, a change of operators took place at the ExRotaprint canteen. We took this opportunity to renovate the heavily used canteen spaces and to renew—or rather, restructure—the kitchen area. In addition to work on the water, wastewater, and electrical systems, painting, tiling, and varnishing work were carried out, and the premises underwent a deep cleaning.