Competition decision for the Visitor Center for the Cemetery of the March Fallen

The successful completion of the competition for the realization of the Visitor Centre for the Cemetery of the March Fallen of 1848 and 1919 is the result of more than five years of intensive efforts to prepare the construction of a building that will serve as a further development of the memorial and learning site for the history of democracy and democracy education.

The high-quality, restricted realisation competition was decided at the jury meeting on 11 October 2023. 12 works were submitted. After the elimination of works in 2 evaluation rounds and the retention of 4 works in the shortlist, one competition entry was awarded 1st prize after applications were submitted and the ranking was determined by a vote of 12:1. The architectural firm AFF Architekten, Berlin, emerged victorious in a joint venture with Landschafts.Architektur Birgit Hammer, Berlin.

The winning design meets the high expectations for dealing with the diverse requirements of the site, which is surrounded by architectural and garden monuments, and the building task itself. In addition to a solution that is compatible with the listed buildings, the future visitor center should meet the structural requirements for sustainable construction and enable the functions of commemoration, mediation, learning and exhibiting to be integrated and provide flexibility for usability. The sculpturally designed two-storey building with a circular access gesture appears light and unobtrusive in communication with the elements of the cemetery and the garden monument, embedded in lush greenery framing the building.

As part of her work as a consulting architect for the future user, Beate Kling acted as an expert in the preliminary examination and the jury meeting on the topics of utilisation and function as well as approval and monument protection.

1st prize
AFF Architekten, Berlin,
Landschafts.Architektur Birgit Hammer, Berlin

2nd prize
Romina Streffing Architektin, Berlin
lichtelandschaften, Burmester/ Treibert, Frankfurt am Main

3rd prize
Moeller Soydan, Berlin mit Bernrieder Sieweke Lagemann Architekten, Berlin
Atelier 8 Landschaftsarchitektur

Recognition
TRU Architekten, Berlin
Holzwarth Landschaftsarchitektur, Berlin

Visualisations 1st prize
© AFF Architekten