CARLO Design plans conversions, renovations and interiors for apartments in Berlin Mitte, in Altbau buildings, GDR prefabs and new builds. Before we design, we check whether Milieuschutz, heritage protection or a preservation ordinance applies, because that decides what you are allowed to change. Our studio is on Christinenstraße near Torstraße. In Mitte we designed, among others, the Ode to Schinkel apartment.
In Mitte, buildings from very different eras often stand wall to wall. The Spandauer Vorstadt has been a protected heritage ensemble since 1995, with more than 100 individually listed buildings. In 2024 the state heritage office also listed the prefabs that filled gaps there between 1984 and 1989.
Each era raises different questions: stucco and timber-beam ceilings in the Altbau, load-bearing concrete walls and shared risers in the Plattenbau, warranty and buyer changes in a new build. The market is Berlin’s most expensive: according to the official valuation board, condominiums in the old district of Mitte averaged €9,374 per square metre in 2025, against €5,017 citywide.
Whether you live there, let it or have just bought it, how much we change depends on what will be approved at your address.
Layout, services, floors, doors and stucco, from the survey to final acceptance. For the heritage ensemble and listed buildings, we obtain heritage consent before anyone opens a wall.
Altbau renovation in BerlinUnder Milieuschutz the permit decides details such as a double vanity or a kitchen island. Outside these areas we plan around your wishes and what the building’s services allow.
Bathrooms in BerlinFurniture, lighting, textiles and made-to-measure joinery, until you can move in. New furniture and lighting without building changes need no approval, even under Milieuschutz.
Interior furnishing in BerlinMilieuschutz, heritage protection and preservation ordinances overlap here. Which rule applies to your building depends on the exact address.
The district has 14 Milieuschutz areas, which protect existing residents, most of them in Wedding, Gesundbrunnen and Moabit. In the Mitte neighbourhood itself it is the Alexanderplatzviertel between Torstraße, Rosa-Luxemburg-Straße, Münzstraße and Gormannstraße, in Tiergarten the Tiergarten-Süd area. Conversions there need approval, even in empty and owner-occupied apartments, and work may only start once it is granted. The district says it reviews a complete application within one month.
Under Berlin’s 2026 criteria: merging or splitting apartments, unnecessary layout changes, a second bathroom or WC, underfloor heating, a fireplace, high-end parquet, floor-to-ceiling windows and a fixed kitchen island with hob or sink. A first standard bathroom or a first balcony under 4 square metres is usually approved.
The district also protects the townscape, for example in the Spandauer Vorstadt since 1993, in Dorotheenstadt and Friedrichstadt, on Leipziger Straße and along the second phase of Karl-Marx-Allee. Demolition, alterations, changes of use and new buildings need approval there, so we clarify new windows or a loft conversion beforehand.
Then changes to its appearance, and even repairs, need consent from the district heritage authority, as does building work in the immediate surroundings of a listed building. The district cites two to three months on average.
Skips or materials on the street are a special use of public land, needing a permit from the roads and green spaces office against a deposit plus a traffic order; Berlin quotes up to three months. For side or rear wings we also plan the route through gateway and courtyard.
Then four short questions. We reply within one working day, with no obligation. We speak English, German and Spanish.
Across our two studios, most of our new work comes through recommendations from past clients. 5.0 stars on Google, 5 reviews for our Berlin studio.
"After speaking with them, I knew I didn't need to look elsewhere. Thrilled with the result, highly recommend."
"They gave us excellent advice and ensured smooth implementation with their craftsmen."
"They quickly grasped my taste, found the perfect products, and arranged appointments."
"Tell us about your property, your timeline, what you are hoping for. We will come to you, listen, and present a concept and a realistic cost estimate, before you commit to anything."
We come to you · One project slot remaining for autumn 2026
