Materiality plays an integral part in understanding formal gestures. The formal masses of this 450-housing unit project are based on earlier material studies exploring “soft structure”, which led to “soft spaces”. This idea was carried throughout the semester’s design process, allowing for unique formal and material design to come out in the final project. The intent in the forms of these structures comes from understanding how the “soft structure” worked, as well as a way to create a “soft space” on both private and public scales.

The understanding of materiality allows for an intended contrast to surrounding buildings both spatially and formally. The typical building typology of residential housing in Berlin is challenged formally in order to allow for a more inviting space when walking along the street level. The idea of soft structure, developed in early material studies, follows through to the full scale housing project, to question the influence of material on form and space.