Charlottenburg Palace - Visitor Center and conversion to Central Visitor Reception

Berlin, 2021 / 1st prize and construction

As a two-story pavilion, the new visitor center completely occupies the available construction area. Together with the Small Orangery, it gives the Orange Garden on its south side a spatial setting and thus completes the ensemble. The appearance of the new building is inspired by historic orangery buildings and shows their delightful combination of constructive elegance and narrative quality.
Two facade layers create a delicate play of light and shadow. The outer of the two layers is defined by a circumferential ring of cast-iron supports and horizontal gratings at the level of the floor slabs. The dark green color scheme of the structure echoes the color scheme of the iron enclosure of Charlottenburg Palace and lends the house a subtle nobility. Set back just under a meter behind this outer layer, floor-to-ceiling glass elements enclose the interior of the visitor center, thus maintaining maximum transparency to the historic surroundings. The large-format panes reflect the greenery of the surroundings and the historic facades of Charlottenburg Palace.

Visitors reception

Data

Competition 2021
1st prize

Elevation south and north new construction

Ground floor new construction

First floor new construction

Ground floor Visitor reception

Longitudinal and cross section

Detail facade new construction

Existing building museum shop detail