Planning and Success of Potsdamer Platz

The area around Potsdamer Platz was planned by architects as a unified district, and it has proven to be a complete success. Between the futuristic skyscrapers, both Berliners and tourists find relaxation in the numerous cafés, cinemas, and shopping opportunities. Urban planners made the right calculations, and the Berliners warmly embraced the new attractions, such as the large shopping arcade of Daimler City. On a 6.8-hectare area, a completely new district was created between Potsdamer Platz and Reichpietschufer, unlike any other.

The Winning Design and Implementation

The successful winners of the competition, Renzo Piano and Christoph Kohlbecker, designed the master plan for the district. To implement the detailed plans and architectural designs, five other architect teams were involved. This ensured a cohesive design for the district while also creating a varied architectural landscape.

The Entrance Area and Its Design

Entering Potsdamer Platz feels like walking through a majestic city gate. Two imposing high-rises, designed by Piano/Kohlbecker and Hans Kollhoff, frame the Alte Potsdamer Straße, which here resumes its original pre-war route. On the right side, the building blocks by Lauber & Wöhr and José Rafael Moneo (home of the Hyatt Hotel) extend, while on the left side, the Weinhaus Huth, the only remaining old building, as well as the shopping arcade can be found. The arcade is flanked by buildings from Piano/Kohlbecker and Richard Rogers (towards the Linkstraße), giving the district a very special atmosphere.

District Center and Architectural Masterpieces

The district center is defined by the imposing double structure of the casino and the musical theater at Marlene-Dietrich-Platz, which stands out with its large roof by Piano/Kohlbecker. Another architectural masterpiece by the two is the Debis headquarters at Landwehrkanal. The heart of the 163-meter-long building block is the glass-covered atrium, surrounded by peripheral buildings that rise in three steps, each by one floor, gradually leading up to the high-rise. This 85-meter-high glass "office tower" forms the head of the ensemble and is equipped with a second façade on the south and west sides to save energy.

Vertical Structure and the Debis Center

The vertical structuring into separate building parts, ending at different heights, gives the high-rise a light and emphasized height, which is further accentuated by the glass façade and the glass-wrapped stairwell. The green cube of the Debis emblem majestically crowns the entire complex. The atrium is publicly accessible, and the internal block structure is loosened by stairwells and balcony shafts, while the wall surfaces are enlivened by louvers. In the basement, high arcades open up to spaces used for cafeterias and shops. In close proximity, the eight-story office buildings by Arata Isozaki and Steffen Lehmann are located, with their smooth façades determined by the alternating red and purple-brown ceramic tiles and trapezoidal windows.