Forum Deutsche Sprache

Designed as part museum, part science center, the Forum Deutsche Sprache (German Language Forum) in Mannheim is a unique building where science and society engage in dialogue. The Leibniz-Institut für Deutsche Sprache (Leibniz Institute for the German Language) will use it as an exhibition space and interactive research facility. It creates a public meeting place where interactive presentations, discussions, and ongoing research allow visitors to experience the nature of language, its omnipresence and diversity.

Located in the Neckarstadt district in the northern part of the city, the Forum Deutsche Sprache extends along the axis between the riverside, which is simultaneously undergoing a redesign, and an urban market square – parts of which are also being redesigned in a public participation process. The new build aligns with the urban perimeter of the square and extends it towards the Neckar River. The four stories above the ground floor include three exhibition levels and an additional level dedicated to research. As an inviting gesture, they project from the building base into the space above the square. This design creates an open forum, a floating, transitional space between inside and outside – lobby and square – that provides a place to meet for all visitors, employees, and people from the neighborhood. It offers spaces for readings and science slams, but also for private picnics by the Neckar River.

The exhibition tour starts on the third floor after an elevator ride and winds its way down to the ground floor. In a virtual presentation designed by Atelier Brückner, visitors experience linguistic diversity, the continuous evolution of the German language in contact with other languages, language technology, and social debates in different language worlds. They can contribute to the linguistic research themselves by interacting with the exhibits and giving spoken or written “language donations.” The fourth floor provides office space for the Institute’s staff and researchers, allowing them to fully focus on their work. A roof terrace offers a panoramic view of the Neckar River and city skyline. It is accessible for employees and visitors alike.

The robust concrete structure with exposed coffered ceilings creates large, clear-span rooms in which the language worlds of the exhibition can be arranged freely. The fourth floor is designed as a lightweight hybrid timber structure divided into smaller spaces. Alluding to the multifaceted nature of language, a multilayered façade envelops the new building. The internal structural framework is covered by a transparent glass façade, which, in turn, is enclosed by adjustable wooden louvers. A fixed protective ETFE film layer placed in front of these wooden elements enhances the striking character of the building. The façade design reflects the individual functions of the floors also when viewed from outside.

With the Forum Deutsche Sprache, donated by the Klaus Tschira Stiftung, the Neckarstadt is given a new cultural location, providing a space for intergenerational dialogue, inclusion, and exchange in this urban district. Like language itself, the building facilitates connection and communication.