LONG SHADOWS OF THE PAST
TASK ‘Checkpoint Charlie’ is one of the world’s best-known sites commemorating the Cold War. As a former border crossing – comprising a GDR border post and an Allied checkpoint – the site symbolises the division of the city of Berlin against the backdrop of the global Cold War and the overcoming of that division. The aim of the competition is to reorganise this now heavily frequented urban space and develop it into a place where historical events are conveyed, space is provided for discussion and debate, and public use is simultaneously facilitated.
STRATEGY The ‘border crossing’ is transformed into a transitional, empty space that provides the framework for the projection of iconic images from the history of the Cold War. To bring out the genius loci, defining elements of the Checkpoint are selected, referenced, reworked, exaggerated, reinterpreted and used to redesign the site.
The design allows for the exploration of historical traces and narratives and invites Berliners to reclaim the site as THEIR urban space.
EMPTINESS A cohesive space is defined, facilitating a multitude of encounters taking place simultaneously. The emptiness of the site is conceptually significant in this context. The newly shaped topography of the square’s surface alters the character of the space and encourages a slower pace of movement.
Foto: Will McBride,
Berlin Friedrichstraße, Checkpoint Charlie 1961
LIGHTING POLES The inner-German border was brightly lit along the ‘death strip’.
For the redesign of the checkpoint, the pole lightes from the border installations are formally referenced and fitted with multifunctional infrastructure.
They serve as the focal points of the square’s design and as a wayfinding system for the exhibition.
SOJOURN QUALITY Vegetation is used to define the spatial volume of the site.
Inspired by the spontaneous vegetation found on wasteland, native species capable of adapting to climate change are planted using the Miyawaki method; these develop into fast-growing biotopes which, together with the fire walls, thematically allude to the ‘empty urban wilderness’.
Water is used as a cooling and atmospheric element to combat overheating.
The masts and green spaces are equipped with misting technology; clouds of mist generate evaporative cooling for visitors when required and humidify the biotopes. Gutters built into the edges of the modelled square allow the area to be flooded and cooled.
SET DESIGN The surface of the site becomes a map.
The positioning of the posts, the breaks in the terrain and the historical artefacts embedded in the ground chart the history inscribed in the site.
The numbered posts provide orientation and guide visitors visually and acoustically through the memorial site.
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PARCOUR OF ICONIC IMAGES The former ‘death strip’ along the southern edge of the square acts as a hinge between the street space and the memorial site. This zone, which was once off-limits, is being reinterpreted and filled with commemorative material.
As a prelude to the open square, long benches and a series of display panels here define a museum-like exhibition space for the iconic images of this place.
PROJECTIONS The information pavilion is positioned beneath the open space, which rises above it to form a grandstand/viewing platform and, together with the fire wall opposite, creates a forum. Video projections on the pavilion’s exterior and interior façades provide up-to-date information on the place of the Cold War within the global context.
The historic fire walls will be used to display curated projections and sound installations, utilising the technical equipment of the light poles.
illumination artefacts
border crossing indication
general lighting + projection on fire walls
LIGHTING TECHNOLOGY The L-shape of the mast and the luminaire head is modelled on the historical original and is combined with modern lighting and control technology as well as multifunctional components. This allows for the flexible creation of different lighting characteristics and lighting scenes. To distinguish between different spatial contexts, the lighting masts are designed as a ‘mast family’ with varying heights and individual configurations.
The uniform luminaire family, with comparable light intensity, ensures a consistent overall appearance.
The striking mast height serves as a defining design element whilst also allowing for the integration of additional gobo projectors with extra-wide lenses, capable of projecting onto surfaces measuring up to 40 × 35 m.
