Architects: Pott Architects
Principal Architect: Ingo Pott
Project Team: Anja Schütt
Client: Vivico Real Estate GmbH
Location: Berlin, Germany
Program: Art Campus
Project Years: 2006 - 2008

Guest Contribution by An Michiels

Art Campus is the new location for contemporary art in the central urban development area Heidestrasse in central Berlin. Pott Architects gave the first impulse for the new urban district at the interface between culture, science and government with its master plan. Now after more than two years of planning and construction a public multifunctional square for cultural use and the new exhibition forum “Halle am Wasser” has been realized. 

The 2500 square meter converted exhibition hall “Halle am Wasser” offers flexible units for six galleries. All interiors of the exhibition spaces are designed as white cubes giving a pure stage for the art. Translucent textile skin embraces the old building, reflecting indirect daylight into exhibition spaces and allowing natural ventilation.  The appearance as a light crystal object acts as a significant beacon for the Art Campus.

Within a budget frame of 1.5 million Euro for Art Campus, an exhibition forum and a proper project for a mid-term use has been realized. The approach is targeting to give space for artists to invest into creative content instead of high rents.  Pott Architects' approach is interesting because the design process seems as important as the final result.  In their own words: “Ingo Pott sees architecture as more than simply building. Architecture is a dialogue, a process involving listening, exchange and new ideas. The hallmark of Potts Architects' approach are the courage to experiment, mastery of variation and sheer enthusiasm, all blended together in a dynamic discovery process. Its architecture is the result of an open process which is employed in the shared search for the ideal architectural solution.”

With Art Campus, a new exciting location is emerging in the heart of Berlin. It combines two of the city's outstanding assets in a unique way – the diversity of its arts scene and its creative lust for contemporary change.