House of Democracy
Competition entry,
Frankfurt am Main
To keep the importance of democracy alive in Frankfurt, the Paulskirche is to be complemented by a House of Democracy. The aim is to commemorate both German democratic history and the National Assembly of 1848, as well as to communicate current issues relating to democracy.
Our joint competition entry with Fabre Speller Architectes sees itself as a mediator between history and the future. As an invitation to question and renew. The design plants the House of Democracy on historic ground, in a historic location, in the city's layout. The lightness of the open and inviting building is rooted in knowledge and history. The current debate on democracy is flourishing at the former site of the old stock exchange. The new cubature protecting Paulsplatz is modest in scale compared to the existing buildings and stands out as a modern addition to the ensemble, clear, open, and forward-looking. The public discourse is rooted in the foyer, the café serves as a meeting place and interface with public life, and forward-looking work takes place in the laboratories and think tanks above, which break through the structures and radiate charisma.
