Berlin’s Top 10 : Modern Buildings

Sony Center

One of Berlin’s largest new structures is the spectacular Sony Center.

Neue Nationalgalerie

This
impressive low building with its huge windows was built in 1965–8
according to plans by Mies van der Rohe. It was the first building to be
designed by the pioneering Bauhaus architect after his emigration to
the USA. He was able to make use of his earlier designs for the Havana
headquarters of the Bacardi company, which had been abandoned after the
Cuban Revolution .

• Potsdamer Str. 50

• 10am–6pm Tue–Wed, until 10pm Thu, 10am–6pm Fri, 11am– 6pm Sat & Sun

Bundeskanzleramt

Berliners
are not too fond of the Chancellor’s new offices, although this is the
only new government building to have been designed by a Berlin
architect. Axel Schultes developed a vast, elongated office complex,
which extends north of the Reichstag, in a bend of the Spree, even
stretching across the river. In the centre of the hyper-modern building
stands a gleaming white cube with round windows, which Berliners quickly
nicknamed “washing machine”. Critics describe the design as pompous,
while civil servants dislike their small offices. The interior of the
building is decorated with valuable modern paintings. The Chancellor’s
office on the 7th floor has a view of the Reichstag.

• Willy-Brandt-Str. 1

• Not open to the public

Ludwig-Erhard-Haus

The
seat of the Berlin Stock Exchange, Ludwig-Erhard-Haus was designed by
the British architect Nicholas Grimshaw in 1994–8. Locals call it the
“armadillo”, because the 15 giant metal arches of the domed building
recall the giant animal’s armour.

• Fasanenstr. 85

• 8am–6pm Mon–Fri

Philharmonie and Kammermusiksaal

Two
modern concert halls in the Kulturforum were designed by Hans Scharoun
in 1961 and 1987 respectively – the Chamber Music Hall was completed
according to Scharoun’s plans by his pupil Edgar Wisniewski. Both
buildings are renowned for their excellent acoustics as well as for
their tent-like roof structures .

Hauptbahnhof

Europe’s
largest train station sits on the site of the historic Lehrter Bahnhof.
This impressive glass and steel structure doubles as a retail and
hospitality hub.

• Hauptbahnhof

Quartiere 205–207 Friedrichstraße

The
Galeries Lafayettes and the Friedrichstadtpassagen are based within
these three office blocks by architects Nouvel, Pei and Ungers .

Nordische Botschaften

No
other new embassy building has caused as much of a stir as the five
embassies of the Scandinavian countries: the green shutters open and
close depending on the amount of available light.

• Klingelhöferstr

• Not open to the public

DZ Bank on Pariser Platz

This
elegant building by Frank Owen Gehry combines Prussian and modern
architecture. The giant dome inside is particularly remarkable .

• Pariser Platz 3

• 10am–6pm Mon–Fri

Kant-Dreieck

The
aluminium sail on top the KapHag-Group’s headquarters, built by Josef
Paul Kleihues in 1992–5, has become a symbol of the new Berlin.
Originally, the structure was to be built one-third higher than it is
now, but the plans were vetoed by the Berlin Senate.

• Kantstr. 155

• 9am–6pm Mon–Fri