UNStudio and developer Bauwerk have just finished the Van B residential project in Munich, offering a range of one to three room apartments, flats, gallery lofts, and rooftop flats. This project is designed to accommodate various family sizes and lifestyles, providing indoor-outdoor living spaces, communal areas, shared facilities, and a unique plug-in system that can transform a 40m2 apartment into a spacious 60m2 loft.
is conveniently located adjacent to the Creative Quarter and Olympiapark, making it an ideal choice for residents. This exceptional development comprises a total of 142 units, which consist of apartments, flats, and penthouses. Additionally, to meet the requirements of the residents, Van B offers 81 underground parking spaces.
The design of Van B prioritizes the establishment of connections between individuals and the natural environment, utilizing outdoor spaces as an extension of the living areas. This approach aims to create a sense of expansiveness by seamlessly integrating the interior and exterior spaces.
To achieve an indoor-outdoor living experience, Van B incorporates various architectural elements such as bay windows, balconies, roof gardens, and terraces. Additionally, residents have access to both shared and private gardens, a rooftop garden offering panoramic views, and an inner courtyard featuring fitness and relaxation zones.
Furthermore, Van B embodies the principles of the sharing economy, community building, and inclusive living. Residents can benefit from a co-living space that caters to remote work or social gatherings. The development also provides amenities such as a parcel box system, car/e-bike sharing services, e-charging stations, and a bike repair station.
According to Ben van Berkel, the renowned architect behind Van B, social connection plays a vital role in our overall well-being. Particularly in today’s world, where the desire and necessity to regularly interact with family, friends, and neighbors are evident, it is crucial to facilitate these encounters. Architecture can serve as a catalyst by creating environments that foster community engagement, shape neighborhood communities, and encourage spontaneous interactions.
The Van B plug-in system provides the opportunity to easily modify the function of a given floor area within seconds, enabling the transformation of a space from a spacious office to a comfortable living room or bedroom.
In order to achieve this level of adaptability, UNStudio, in partnership with Bauwerk, developed a flexible partition and furniture system based on plug-ins that can be utilized in all Van B apartments, regardless of their size.
This innovative system includes a selection of nine optional plug-ins that allow residents to reorganize their living space according to their immediate requirements, enabling them to customize their environment based on their daily activities.
According to Ben van Berkel, the importance of flexibility in living spaces has surpassed the significance of sheer size in today’s society. As homes now serve multiple functions such as offices, gyms, living areas, and sleeping quarters simultaneously, there is a growing need for new living concepts that can adapt to changing demands.
Residents have the freedom to select a personalized configuration of plug-ins from a range of nine elements. Each partition is designed to function in various arrangements, ensuring compatibility regardless of the homeowner’s choices or the layout of their apartment. Ben van Berkel emphasizes that Van B represents a new era of intelligent living, focusing on reinterpreting digital concepts to enhance physical living spaces rather than relying solely on technological integration.
The apartments feature large bay windows and balconies that establish visual connections between the street, the residences, and the trees that border the road. These bay windows not only create a sculptural three-dimensional exterior for the building, but they also consist of concrete and copper-colored metal framing.
On the ground floor, the gallery lofts facing the courtyard entice residents to open up their apartments and expand their living spaces into the garden with their glazed facades. These triple-height apartments, having their own distinct addresses, almost function as small houses nestled within the larger building.
Moreover, the project encompasses the ‘Van B Editions’: ten rooftop flats individually furnished with private roof terraces, each meticulously designed by ten of Germany’s top interior designers.
Jürgen Schorn, the Managing Partner of Bauwerk, expresses his satisfaction with the diverse range of flats offered by Van B, as it has attracted numerous young cosmopolitans, singles, and couples from around the globe, thereby bringing vitality to the building.
The Van B project adheres strictly to Germany’s sustainability regulations. Additionally, elements of the previous building’s foundation and basement structure were repurposed for the new construction, while the basement walls were reinforced. This approach not only reduced the consumption of construction materials but also expedited the building process. Furthermore, the roof garden serves as a cooling mechanism for the building, while the bay windows are strategically positioned to optimize natural daylight within the apartments.