Bendlerblock – Federal Ministry of Defence
The Bendlerblock is a listed complex of buildings situated in Berlin’s Tiergarten district and one of the most significant sites of Germany’s recent history. Once a place where military resistance against the Nazi regime emerged, it currently houses the Federal Ministry of Defence. This historic ensemble is going to be expanded using previously undeveloped portions of the site.
HENN’s design incorporates three new buildings alongside the imposing historic structures, which were built from 1911 onwards. The new additions – two administrative buildings and a canteen pavilion – are designed to be resource- and energy-efficient. The entire site will be transformed into a permeable green campus. Its design instills transparency as well as self-confidence, symbolizing the preservation of our democratic and liberal values.
The new buildings will be deliberately set back from the main building, which is situated in a prominent position on Landwehr Canal. Rather than closing off the street block, a gap between the two buildings gives the historic façade room to assert its character. At the same time, this arrangement opens an inward view from the public urban space.
At the heart of the newly created campus, two new administrative buildings frame the parade ground at their center. Their U-shaped layout creates spacious courtyards which, adorned with native trees, perennials, and grasses, offer tranquility and a place for people to meet. The buildings’ narrow wings bring the workplaces close to the façade, providing daylight, fresh air, and views of the green courtyards and the surrounding area. Photovoltaic systems installed on the green roofs generate sustainable electricity.
The open fourth side of the two buildings faces the parade ground. Between the wings of the buildings, a transparent layer spans across the space – a glazed structure of passageways that provides acoustic protection for the workplaces. At the same time, the green courtyards situated opposite each other create a sophisticated backdrop for ceremonial events. The parade ground is the traditional venue for the Grand Tattoo, the highest military honor of the Bundeswehr, as well as for the swearing-in of new soldiers to defend democracy. The parade ground as such will be redesigned using large natural stone slabs interspersed with shiny bronze joints. A new state visitor staircase connects the ground to the historic building.
The parade ground and buildings are lined with preserved and newly planted trees as well as green ribbons of hedges and flowering perennials. SINAI’s landscape architecture creates an intriguing contrast between the geometric architectural patterns and the organic nature of the surroundings. Footpaths and forecourts connect the buildings to each other and establish links to a grove at the rear of the site – a tranquil retreat where visitors can take a stroll. A low pavilion housing the canteen sits in its seemingly random natural surroundings.
The new buildings’ thoughtfully inserted geometries and their sandstone façades allow for a harmonious integration of old and new. Their base is closed towards the outside to elevate them above street level to ensure the required degree of security and discretion.
The Bendlerblock extension transforms the Federal Ministry of Defence site into a tranquil, prestigious campus that pays homage to the historic fabric while carrying democratic values into the future.
Key Info
Collaboration Partners
SINAI Landschaftsarchitekten (landscape architecture), Wetzel & von Seht (structural framework), b.i.g. gruppe management gmbh (building services), Görtzen Solbrink & Partner (fire protection)
