Architects: Heim Balp Architekten     Photography: Francesca Ióvene     Construction Period:  2021     Location:  Stechlin, Germany

At the intersection of art and nature, Gutshof Güldenhof is Berlin-based architecture studio Heim Balp Architekten`s latest completion conceived for and in close collaboration with Vietnamese-born Danish conceptual artist Danh Vo (b.1975). Located in the rural town of Stechlin, Brandenburg, in the vicinity of Berlin, the project saw the transformation of an abandoned farming complex into a thriving and active center for art, sustainable living, and social interaction.Reflecting both the studio and the artist’s clear understanding of space as inherently social, Heim Balp reappropriated the existing construction, developing its full potential and embedding it in its natural surroundings. The resulting design is a multifunctional, communal space combining residential, cultural, and work facilities, ultimately forging a versatile, sustainable, and inherently livable environment.

Working from a former livestock farm with a set of stone stables and barns that had remained intact since the 18th century, the architects undertook a series of architectural interventions on the existing buildings, creating exterior and interior spaces for a range of uses spread across over 5,000 m2. Initiated in 2017 and completed this year, the complex, where Danh Vo mainly resides and works alongside his collaborators, comprises an art studio; exhibition, and art storage spaces; metal, ceramic, and wood workshops; as well as apartments, communal areas, and farming spaces – allowing a community of up to 20 to be present on-site at any given time.

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