Heilstatetten Berlin Beelitz: derelict sanatorium reclaimed by nature

Heilstaetten Berlin Beelitz photo by DHV Architects 01

Sanatorium Beelitz is a mecca for architects, photographers, thrill seekers & horror party fans. Decaying buildings with faded past lives still hold a morbid fascination: the vibrant colours of decay, glimpses of a bygone time, ghostly memories...

I had seen pictures of Beelitz before and could not wait to visit when staying nearby for a family reunion. Heilstaetten Beelitz was built from 1898 as a sanatorium to try to rehabilitate tuberculosis patients from the working-class population of Berlin (about half an hour to the north). Such complexes were common across Europe before the break-through in the use of Penicillin to treat tuberculosis in the 1940s.

The giant 200 acre complex with 60 buildings could treat up to 1,200 patients. It had its own power station, butcher, bakery, plant nursery and farm. The patients were treated with vast amounts of fresh air at all times of the year, five meals a day and an obsessive hygiene regime; even radiators swung from the walls to allow cleaning behind. The illness particularly affected young men in their early 20s and it was therefore in the German government's interest to heal such patients so that they could to go back to work. Only those that were thought curable were sent to Beelitz; those thought too ill to work again were left to fate. Fresh air (some rooms had no glass in the windows), extreme hygiene and plentiful food and work were considered the best cure, and actually were a relatively successful remedy; 80-90% of patients returned to work, although the illness could re-occur at any time.

The whole building complex was planned with military precision and was built within four years. The patient's rooms were all south facing to allow plenty of sun into the rooms. The gardens were laid out beautifully with meandering paths and the spoil of the excavation works was used to create small hillocks, optimistically named the Beelitz Alps. Part of the complex was besieged by the Red Army and the Alpenhaus (Ladies sanatorium) was bombed heavily. Later the whole complex was taken over by the Russian Army who ran parts of it as a hospital. After their departure it was bought by a private investor who started to refurbish the north-eastern part which is now partly used as a neurological hospital. After his insolvency the remaining complex fell into disrepair and became a haven for horror parties and nostalgic photographers. Building were vandalised, copper roof tiles removed and overall decay set in creating a ghost town (used as film set for the film "The Pianist" by Roman Polanski)

Today part of the site is accessible as an open air museum with tree top aerial walkway. The Alpenhaus ruins are being allowed to revert back to nature: a whole pine forest grows out of the roof. The floors however remain miraculously intact due to the steel and hollow clay pot structure. The external bricks and glazed terracotta tiles still look pristine.  Guided tours explain the history of the site and keen photographers can book special photo tours. A strange, beautiful place; but well worth visiting.

Heilstaetten Berlin Beelitz photo by DHV Architects 02

Heilstaetten Berlin Beelitz photo by DHV Architects 03

Heilstaetten Berlin Beelitz photo by DHV Architects 04 

Heilstaetten Berlin Beelitz photo by DHV Architects 06

Heilstaetten Berlin Beelitz photo by DHV Architects 07

Heilstaetten Berlin Beelitz photo by DHV Architects 08

Heilstaetten Berlin Beelitz photo by DHV Architects 09

Heilstaetten Berlin Beelitz photo by DHV Architects 09

Heilstaetten Berlin Beelitz photo by DHV Architects 10

Heilstaetten Berlin Beelitz photo by DHV Architects 11

Heilstaetten Berlin Beelitz Chirurgie

Planning consent or permitted development for house extensions explained

One of the first questions we get asked when visiting a client's house is: does the proposed extension require planning consent?

This article will explain which consent is required for your extension.

1. Permitted development

Certain extensions will fall under permitted development which means that planning consent is NOT required. We do advise clients however to apply for a Certificate of Lawful Development which is a very useful document to have when selling the house.
There is a strict set of rules of what counts as permitted development:

• Side extensions (which are 50% or less of the width of the house, with a maximum height of 4m) are permitted development, but NOT in conservation areas
• Extensions must not exceed 50% of the original floor area
• No front extensions 
• External materials must be similar in appearance to the existing house (which means if your house is rendered the proposed extension should be rendered too)
• If extensions are within 2m of the boundary the maximum height should not exceed 3m.
• Extension must not exceed 3m (attached houses) or 4m (detached houses) from the rear of the original house
• Single storey rear extensions must not exceed 4m in height

For more information on permitted development refer to http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/permission/commonprojects/extensions/miniguide OR http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/permission/house

The certificate of lawful development application can be submitted online on the planning portal and costs £86.

2. Prior approval Notification

Outside designated land (such as conservation areas) the size limit of extensions has been increased to 6m (attached houses) and 8m (detached house) until 30th May 2019. This approval is however subject to the neighbour consulting scheme. That means that the approval will only be issued if the adjacent neighbours do not object (they don't necessary have to consent, just not object).

This approval is subject to the same rules as the standard permitted development. It is important to note that the proposed development has to be entirely on the applicants land and party wall can't be shared between adjoining owners. This can sometimes cause issues if the neighbour has build an extension incorporating a poor quality garden wall. This garden wall will have to remain and be incorporated into the design which can cause construction problems.

The prior approval notification has to be submitted to the development team of the local authority by email and is free of charge.

3. Planning Approval

If the extension is larger than 3m (attached houses) or 4m (detached houses) from the rear of the original house AND is in a conservation area or the neighbour has subjected to the prior approval notification planning consent will be required.

What is considered acceptable depends largely on the individual planning officer, the local authority policies, and other local guidelines. As a rule of thumb planning will normally be granted for extensions which extend no more than 3.5m from the rear of the existing house. If the existing extension of your terraced house is for example 4.5 long you might not always be able to create an infill extension of the same length. It is therefore important to explore layout options how to incorporate the planning requirements yet create a functional and aesthetic scheme.

Householder planning applications can be submitted online on the planning portal and costs £172 planning fee.

4. Listed buildings

Any extensions to a listed building will require planning and listed building consent.

DHVA's South London project featured in EKBB magazine

DHV Architects are behind the remodelling and conversion of a dark and damp Victorian South London house into a sleek light and airy family home. Light timber flooring, a white Bulthaup kitchen and slimline Velfac windows give it a scandinavian feel. The generous corner glazing allows plenty of light into the new kitchen / diner.

EKBB magazines features DHV Architects in Bristol 1

EKBB magazines features DHV Architects in Bristol 2

EKBB magazines features DHV Architects in Bristol 3

EKBB magazines features DHV Architects in Bristol 3

EKBB magazines features DHV Architects in Bristol 5

DHVA finalists for the 2016 West of England LABC Building Excellence Awards

Two of our projects are shortlisted for the 2016 West of England Regional LABC Building Excellence Awards in the category: best extension to an existing home.
The extension to Old Barn in South Gloucestershire creates a large contemporary kitchen on the side of a converted barn. Sustainable features include: untreated Cedar cladding and a Bauder Sedum roof. The whole house conversion and extension in Bishopston has transformed a small Victorian house into light and airy living space. The main feature is a large full height glazing which allows uninterrupted views into the stylish garden.

Old Barn extension by DHV Architects in Bristol

House conversion and extension in Bishopston by DHV Architects in Bristol