The "Berliner Bauakademie" was built by Karl Friedrich Schinkel between 1832-1836. Vis-à-vis to the "Berliner Schloss" it stood in the heart of Berlin and was place for architectural education under the "Königlich Preußischen Bauschule" and the "Oberbaudeputation". The "Berliner Bauakademie" was demolished in 1962 by the DDR socialists. The following Department of Foreign Affairs, "Ministerums für Auswärtige Angelegenheiten der DDR", was demolished in 1995-1996. Since then, Berlins heart got a scar in its middle which is yet unfilled.
In late 2016, the German Government decided to invest 62 million Euros in the reconstruction of the "Berliner Bauakademie". As a result of years of searching for project ideas, the development association "Förderverein Bauakademie" asked the Beuth Hochschule Berlin to give students the chance to grow some ideas and solutions for the reconstrution of the "Berliner Bauakademie".
Supervised by Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Mara Pinardi, students of the 2nd semester of Master of Science Architecture in WS2016/17, took the chance and produced several ideas that could help to reconstruct the "Berliner Bauakademie".
One of the results is this projekct. The "Karl Friedrich Schinkel Museum Bauakademie Berlin" by Chantal Mahnke, David Schulze and Christian Alles.
To honor one of the most distinguished german architects of all time, Karl Friedrich Schinkel (1781-1841), there should be created the Schinkel Museum. It will be located on the position of the former "Berliner Bauakademie" and shall get back its function as a spot of knowledge and education.
This museum of architecture bases of the creations of Karl Friedrich Schinkel. This is by no means a complete reconstruction of the Bauakademie. Just the outer facade except the semibasement will be reconstructed from the original. The entrances of the former shops are cut out and will be kept as openings. Even the two main entrance doors to the north are cut out but still remain recognizable by their decorated portal ornaments.
In the inner stands a glass cube that takes distance to the historical facade. Both together form an impressive arcade course that extends to the ceiling.
The glass cube closes at the ceiling in a pyramid and gives visitors a continuous contact to the reconstructed historical facade. This creates a flowing connection between historical proportions and modern architecture. The arcade course forms a gap between the old and the new and gives the historical facade the space needed to be gazed by the visitors.
The new construction system with its modern material is based on the historical construction pattern. Lime sandstone collumns will be replaced by reinforced concrete support which offer bigger distances to be bridged. By that, every second support of the former pattern will be omitted. This creates bigger spaces without support.
On the actual side are standing three statues of Karl Friedrich Schinkel, Peter Christian Wilhelm Beuth and Albrecht Daniel Thaer. The statue of Karl Friedrich Schinkel will be relocated in the entrance hall of the new museum. Schinkel will move in again in his own house. The other two statues form the entrance of the property with the park in its north.
As well as the support pattern, former historical inside walls are absorbed and create the new shape of rooms. In the center of the Bauakademie, the former patio will still be imaginable for the visitor. It keeps its function as a court and offers space in which visitors can connect and meet. These courts structure the distribution for the different exhibition themes and gather visitors at another highlight of the museum - the bridges. The bridges create a connection between the old and the new and realign to the remaining parts of Karl Friedrich Schinkels creations in the direct surrounding in the heart of Berlin. By that, the exhibition steps out of the museum and visitors get an impression over the creational diversity of Karl Friedrich Schinkel.
Another highlight is the basement. Visitors can view the historical basis of the former Bauakademie which still remain at the location. A reasonable presentation gives viewers an impressive experience. A platform based on the former floor plan of the former Department of Foreign Affairs of the DDR offers enough space to explore the historical basis. The room keeps an archaelogical character which is intensified by light installations and the raw broken-off historical basis.
The museum occupies not just with creations of Schinkel. Exhibition areas for actual construction projects are as well included as seminar rooms and an auditorium. Furthermore serves the museum as location for culture in the fields of architecture and constructing. Under the eyes of Karl Friedrich Schinkel, the museum offers space for graduation celebrations for the architectural classes of berlin universities as well as for awarding the "AIV-Schinkel-Preis" - a famous award for honoring architects and engineers.