Scandinavian living in Berlin

The beginnings of modern Denmark stem from a meeting in Spandau, Germany in the 14th century.

After an aristocratic riot and the violent murders of prominent pretenders to the throne, a conference on April 22nd, 1340 in Berlin appointed Valdemar Atterdag, who later became Valdemar IV, as head of state of the northern parts of Jutland.

During his reign, he gradually reacquired lost territories that had been added to Denmark over the centuries, establishing the foundations for the country as it is presently known.

Nearly 700 years later, the Danes have returned to Spandau. This time, they are not negotiating political solutions, but conquering the waterfront with Scandinavian architecture and modern living.

Scandinavian design and architecture are widely known for functionality, brightness and clear-cut solutions. It may be called the WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) of design.

On the remnants of a former open-air bath in Spandau, a Danish company has built 28 flats in one of the most breathtaking locations in the Berlin metropolitan area.

The old open-air bath has been transformed into two new apartment blocks right on the shores of the Havel River just north of the Spandau Citadel.

The idea behind the new homes is to create flats that recreate history for modern residents by making the most of the unique location. The initial sketches were undertaken by Danish architect Th. Bang Termansen and evolved further under the hand of Berlin-based architect Patrick Pommier.

Arikon continued with construction until completion in early September, from basement parking to penthouse balconies.

The end result deviates from traditional German flats in several ways. All flats are open concept with combined kitchens and living rooms. Meanwhile, most of the units' bathrooms do not come equipped with a tub.

Instead, one will find continuity everywhere in the chosen construction materials. Glass, steel, stone and genuine merbau parquet flooring intersect perfectly from the entrance doors to the spacious balconies, most with an unrestricted view over the city all the way to Alexanderplatz 15 kilometres away.

The neighbourhood's recreational facilities include a marina, beach, parks and a well maintained bicycle path that leads to Altstadt Spandau with excellent good connections both to downtown Berlin and other German cities. Separately, nearby Tegel Airport, which is scheduled to close in June 2012, is only 8 kilometres away.

The flats target mainly DINKs (double-income, no kids) and SINCs (single-income, nice credit). They range in area from 68 to 85 square metres. In addition to the combined kitchen/living room, they also have two bedrooms and combinations of multiple flats are possible.

Amenities in the vicinity include all necessities such as supermarkets, pharmacies, doctors, dentist, restaurants and public transportation.

Above all else, residents can take advantage of unrestricted recreational areas, both on the water as well as the forests stretching into Brandenburg.