Netherlands Embassy Berlin

View through a portion of the 'trajectory'

In the wake of reunification, the German government decided to relocate the capital to Berlin. The Netherlands, having sold their former embassy site after the war, was free to choose anew. Roland Ufer in Mitte, the oldest Berlin settlement, next to the (new) government district of their main trade partner, was ultimately preferred.

The client demanded a solitary building, integrating requirements of conventional civil service security with Dutch openness.

Traditional (former West Berlin) city planning guidelines demanded the new building to complete the city block in 19th century fashion, the (former East Berlin) city planning officials had an open mind towards a proposal for a freestanding cube on a - block completing - podium.

As such, the design explores a combination of obedience (fulfilling the block's perimeter) and disobedience (building a solitary cube).

A continuous trajectory reaching all eight stories of the embassy shapes the building's internal communication.

The trajectory is carved out of the cube of the building to explore various relationships with its context - and is clearly legible on the exterior as a sort of emblematic gesture of Dutch openness.

Drawing of the trajectory unfolded [opens in pop-up window - 16 KB image]

The workspaces are the 'leftover areas' after the trajectory was 'carved' out of the cube and are situated along the facade.

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