Open, two-phase design competition. Taking into account the distinctive urban location, with the adjacent S-bahn viaduct and the ‘Gründerzeit’ residential areas a stone’s throw away, its proximity to the government district and green spaces of the Tiergarten and the Moabit-Werder area, the meander-shaped complex of buildings which house the Federal Ministry of the Interior in Berlin convey a sense of objectivity, authenticity, consistency and openness: attributes that serve as a metaphor for the responsibility of the Ministry in serving the public. The positioning and design of the building is adapted to the structure of the site and its immediate surroundings. Depending on the use and urban context, the buildings either appear open and inviting through recesses and spacious areas, or closed and restrained through the consistent structure of the extensive punch window facades. With the use of the meander shape, the complex can be extended if required.
Competition: –
Date: 2006
Use: Administration
Initiator: Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung (BBR) (Federal Office for Building and Regional Planning)