An Open-Minded Berlin Family Renovates the Basement of an Abandoned Hospital

It's safe to assume that a one-time abandoned hospital in East Berlin wouldn't immediately present itself as the ideal location for a family's summer residence. And it's even more likely to think that potential owners would be dismayed to learn that such a location stood dormant for decades after the end of the Cold War. But for an outgoing — and perceptive — clan of four, the basement of this complex proved to be exactly what they wanted. They hired Loft Kolasinski to reimagine the dirty site as a future home surrounded by a verdant park, where they could invite guests over for intimate dinner parties. But before anything could happen, everyone needed to help clean up. The team removed large amounts of garbage from each room, laid bricks and wood on the one-time threshing floor, and removed plaster from the ceiling. They even waited for the water-logged walls to dry, instead of knocking them down. When the work was through, the property's open floor plan was filled with an eclectic collection of rare mid-century furniture from Poland, Denmark, and the Czech Republic to heighten the rich textures found in every space. It's now a clean enclave of old and new, and a testament to seeing opportunity in an unlikely address.