On meeting Matthias Moever one needs to acknowledge three things from the outset: a) He’s very handsome. b) He’s very charming. c) He’s very intelligent. That in its self should be enough to get a profile in this esteemed publication but add to that an interesting and creative career (past and present) well, it’s a ‘no-brainer’.
Whilst researching for last month’s article on playrooms I was lucky enough to come across Matthias whose business is designing large apartments with a fetish, industrial style. And we are not talking just a coat of black paint with a wrought iron bed frame. Average time for completion of his ‘Grand Designs’ is 6 months and will set you back well above six figures. While for those who have more modest budgets Matthias will design you something on a much smaller scale – your broom cupboard perhaps?
So how did Matthias get involved? Well he was a lecturer at Berlin’s University of Art specialising in textiles and working alongside none other than Vivienne Westwood. After three years of promises to be accepted on a full time professorship never materialised, he was asked by the boss of London’s Hoist, a long time friend, to find him an apartment in Berlin he could convert into “play” apartments for those naughty weekends we are all so fond of in the Hauptstadt. Having found the perfect space for sale he was then asked to organise the design and building work as his friend could think of no-one better to do the job and no-one he trusted more. With contacts from friends of the Hoist friend who had stayed at the apartments more requests soon came his way and the rest is, as we say, history.
It’s also a real labour of love for Matthias as he has been active on the leather BDSM scene for many years. It was therefore natural that other projects soon followed including the redesign of the famous RoB-Apartments in Berlin, one of the most sought after fetish apartments in Schoneberg for rent. I was fortunate enough to view his last completed project and to also take a look at his current project which is close to completion (something two good friends of mine will be over the moon about as they are living in the same building and have been complaining for months about the noise levels!)
What is an ideal apartment to renovate? Matthias likes to find something in need of major work and also prefers it to be on the ground floor as there will usually be a connected cellar space. The last completed apartment (see pictures) was a tool shop in an old building (Alt-bau). On the face of it there was no cellar for this apartment but during the rebuilding process a trap-door was discovered, once access was gained a huge unused space below floor level was opened up and hey-presto! A spectacular play space! Upstairs is a mix of industrial chic and modernism with furnishings and art which fit the ambience perfectly. I hate to admit it but I went a very nasty shade of green about 2 seconds after stepping into that apartment. The kitchen and bathroom are modern and very high quality and all designed by Matthias while many of the other fittings are sourced from antique dealers and the abundant flea markets Berlin has to offer. For me an iron coffee table designed by Matthias stole the show coming in four parts shaped differently, you could use each piece separately or join them all together to form one large square table (something the owner found hard to do). The entrance to downstairs is an open metal staircase from the main living area which leads to the exquisitely laid out playroom. There really is everything here you could wish for from a sexual point of view and I hope to get invited to the next party!
After leaving this apartment we took a short walk to his current project which is in an 80s apartment building (Neu-bau). This was an office space and is huge with a circular frontage. Matthias had to get all the internal office walls knocked down to open up the space and install a gigantic metal spiral staircase between the two floors. But wait! In the middle of the staircase is a circular cage which is the height of the basement so your victim can be hoisted from above down to the depths below. I don’t think even Houdini would have been able to get out of that one. It’s sheer genius. While not complete yet, you can see that everything again is designed to exceptional levels with only the best materials being used. It’s going to be another amazing place when it’s finished and something else for Matthias to be proud of.
So what’s next? Well having worked non-stop for the past 12 months Matthias said he will take a short break until January when work begins on his next project for a couple of Americans from Hawaii. All nice work if you can get it and I know that when (let’s be positive after all) I make my first million I’ll be contacting Matthias to build me my “Grand Design”.
Nick Harrigan
www.ownberlin.com
www.TheHoistBasements.com
www.RoB-Berlin.de/apartments
Photographed by Ivo Hofsté – www.ivooo.de
