Ænsemble Revamps Century-Old Country Home in Brandenburg with Bold Contemporary Interiors

Architecture studio Ænsemble has renovated a 700-square-metre Wilhelminian period country house in Brandenburg, Germany, adding bold contemporary elements while preserving its historic features. The home, built at the start of the 20th century, had fallen into ruin before a family of artists purchased half of it to create a live-work space for hosting. Berlin firm Söllner Wagner Architekten handled structural changes, while Ænsemble led interior design. Due to the home's listed status, all new additions are deliberately legible as contemporary layers. A sky-blue Corian kitchen island with soft curves anchors the ground floor. The former kitchen became a den with pink fluted panelling and a pull-out sofa bed. Elsewhere, crimson sofas, deep-blue cabinetry, and sea-green window seats punctuate the pale shell. The first floor, once dark staff quarters, now hosts bedrooms with terrazzo-tiled en-suites and black hardware. Ceramic handles moulded from nuts and leaves by the client adorn cupboards. A winter room overlooks the garden and river, featuring a fireplace and bookshelves. Ænsemble co-founder Judith Kading stated that additions should remain visible to show chronological layering.