Photography by Kane Holz.
It is a grey day here at Schlesisches Tor in Berlin. Grey streets. Grey signs. Grey stone. But while the subway rushes overhead, convenience store vendors smoke cigarettes in front of their shops, and people line up at the burger joint, a world full of ideas and creative minds unfolds in one of the rather inconspicuous side buildings: the office of the renowned architecture, design, and interior agency Studio Karhard.
Known for projects such as the interior design of the Sony headquarters, creating the 6th floor of KaDeWe, or their collaboration with Berghain, Studio Karhard’s work is interdisciplinary and captures the Zeitgeist of the German capital. There are no boundaries. There are no limits. And above all, every room has its own story and its own character that lives on.
Photography by Kane Holz.
Thomas Karsten, one of the two founders of Studio Karhard, opens the door for me on this bleak winter day. He wears a black hoodie, baggy jeans, and square glasses. Alex Erhard is waiting for me just behind him. Her outfit is simple and professional. Since the beginnings of Studio Karhard in 2003, the two have been a well-coordinated team: they know each other, know what the other one is thinking, and laugh together about the memories of the last 20 years. ‘You used to be a real rocker,’ Karsten says to Erhard.
While Karsten prepares the meeting room for our interview, Erhard gives me a brief tour of the office. ‘Sorry, it’s a bit messy right now,’ she says, gesturing to boxes of materials stacked against a wall. Despite the gloomy weather, the workspace is flooded with light. Large windows offer a view of the bustling city. The chequered wooden flooring gazes up at a chandelier made of disco balls in the middle of the back room. Yet the heart of the office is in the meeting room: a shelf filled with various glass panels, bricks, concrete cubes, wire mesh, and paper models. Every project, every idea, and every process Erhard, Karsten, and their team have ever conceived has started here.
‘I actually wanted to become a chef,’ says Karsten, taking a sip of water. Just like Erhard, he trained as an architect in a classic, analogue way with a slide rule. ‘But architecture is almost like cooking. I just have to take the right ingredients and put them together.’ But while gourmet chefs cook the same thing over and over again, Studio Karhard designs places that couldn’t be more different from one another. They have collaborated with various techno clubs but have also designed interiors for medical practices or offices. When I ask them which type of project is more fun, the two smile. ‘That depends on the client.’
Instead of focusing on a unified design language, Karsten and Erhard fully immerse themselves in their clients’ requirements every time, with the goal of creating a space together that transcends everyday life. A space that comes to life through sound, scent, and light. ‘For me, a project is successful when the place inspires and animates people,’ explains Karsten. Erhard nods.
Photography by Kane Holz.
‘For Sony, for example, we created a very music-based concept,’ Karsten recalls. The office of the music label is now located at the corner of Bülowstraße in Schöneberg – an area where David Bowie and Iggy Pop used to live and which has always been characterised by the presence of many pubs and, above all, a lot of music. Karsten and Erhard were inspired by the past: ‘Glamour Punk, we called it,’ says Erhard. ‘A mix of disco balls, black, dark rooms, stainless steel tiles, but also some extravagant furniture.’ Karsten pulls out a large ring binder and places it on the table in front of me. In it, the two have collected photos of all the places they have designed over the past 20 years. With a sweep, Karsten opens the folder and shows me pictures of the Sony office. ‘This is the White Room,’ he says. And the room is indeed very white: a white carpet, large windows, and white furniture. In the middle, large squares interrupt the space, like large booths. ‘These are the show-off rooms,’ he says, grinning. ‘A major label like Sony ultimately has to impress and engage people while at the same time being welcoming. That’s why each room also has its own function.’ The ‘show-off rooms’ are elaborate and modern, yet also reminiscent of the luxury and organic shapes of the Sixties and Seventies. There is even a stage in the cafeteria. ‘This is a music company. People have to be able to perform live spontaneously,’ explains Erhard. So, has anyone ever performed there? ‘Yes. Tokio Hotel.’
One of the photos shows a long, oval table. Schlager-icon Andrea Berg once lounged here and held a photo session because she liked the furnishings so much. ‘I love that,’ says Erhard. ‘When people use the space; when it inspires and makes them happy.’
Karsten and Erhard repeatedly return to the places they have designed – whether intentionally or unintentionally. In these moments, it is particularly beautiful for them to see if their concept has succeeded. ‘After all, we consider everything,’ says Erhard. ‘How should I place the table so that no one accidentally spills beer all over a sitting guest? How can I organise the room layout so that people queue at the checkout in a way that they are not bothering anyone?’
As Karsten shuts the heavy ring binder with a loud thump, my eyes return to the large shelf with the glass panels, bricks, and concrete cubes. Studio Karhard is known for mainly working with natural materials. Is there a material, I ask, that they particularly like to use and frequently pick up? Karsten doesn’t hesitate and pulls out a slice of mastic asphalt. The dark, sanded surface shimmers in the light of the afternoon sun. Small, colourful pebbles interrupt the surface, forming a pattern of irregular circles. This material is ubiquitous, durable, and very versatile in appearance, depending on the processing techniques. But in the end, as with cooking, it all comes down to the combination of ingredients: asphalt and glass. Asphalt and wood. Asphalt and steel. The spice blend determines the taste of the finished dish.
My final question before I leave the Studio Karhard office and step back into the streets of Schlesisches Tor is how Karsten and Erhard manage to stay true to themselves. ‘That’s easy,’ says Karsten. ‘We just do what we feel like doing.’
Credits
Words: Amelie Bachert
Photography: Kane Holz.
As featured in SLEEK 80 – FORTUNE. Available in print and digital here.