At Bundesallee 199 in Berlin-Wilmersdorf, a vacant office building was converted into shared accommodation for older people who need care. The project is an example of reusing existing commercial space for housing rather than building on undeveloped land.21
Hauskrankenpflege Depner carried out the conversion with support from public authorities and provides care through its ambulatory nursing service.2 The reporting does not identify a separate property developer or owner, name the authorities involved, or give the names of the nursing service’s managing directors.2 It also does not state when the conversion began or was completed.2
The building’s former offices were adapted into individual resident rooms and shared spaces. Former office corridors became communal areas, and each floor has central kitchens and spacious living rooms; residents can furnish their own rooms.2 The article reports capacity for 10 to 12 residents per floor, but does not specify the number of floors or the project’s total capacity.2
The conversion posed structural and approval challenges because office buildings are not generally designed for residential use. The article specifically mentions water pipes, fire protection and ventilation as issues requiring attention, and characterises the work as demanding.2 It presents cooperation between the care provider, the real-estate sector and public authorities as important to making the new use possible.2 The project’s scope is therefore both a change of use and the provision of a communal living environment with nursing support for care-dependent older people.21