Baron Haussmann, the French administrator responsible for beautifying Paris's public spaces in the 1860s, may have been forced to resign for his "extravagant approach", but his grand boulevards still define the city – and now Berlin's dignified Charlottenburg district.
Eisenzahn 1, a new-build project by Ralf Schmitz, a fifth-generation family-run developer, takes its cues from the grand residences that lined the German capital's expansive thoroughfares in the 1920s, as well as Haussmann's Parisian boulevards. And its common spaces, designed by Bottega Veneta, are perfectly at home with the palatial facade, complete with pilasters, arches and cornices. The six-storey property, which will be ready this autumn, houses only 12 residences, including the full-floor penthouse, priced at €8.5 million (Dh35 million).
Spread over 5,000 square feet, the three-bedroom penthouse has wrap-around terraces, a roof garden, a walk-in dressing room and a state-of-the-art security system. Kitchen appliances are from Gaggenau, and the master bath is fitted with accessories from Dornbracht, Villeroy & Boch and Devon & Devon. Wide corridors in neutral shades lead to the various parts of the house, which include a reading room with a fireplace.
Tomas Maier, creative director of Bottega Veneta, has designed the building's 680-square-foot lobby and the loggia, which overlooks a fountain and latticework portico. The common areas use furniture, textiles and accessories from the brand's home collections, and Maier also hand-picked the wall colours, flooring, cabinetry, appliances and artwork to fully realise his vision for each space. It's evident that no expense has been spared in the planning of the homes, while the flowing layout and generous proportions of the penthouse make it a truly designer abode.
For more information, visit www.eisenzahn1.com.
Look for this and similar stories in Luxury magazine, out with The National on Thursday, March 3.
pmunyal@thenational.ae
