Competition Komische Oper Berlin
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Explanatory report

Explanation and justification of the design concept
In the context of the digitization of all areas of life, especially cultural communication, the opera can only permanently bind future generations of visitors to its activities if the direct experience of a real combination of music, poetry, drama and stage design becomes a formative experience that differs from the Internet .

The exposed location of the new building offers the chance for the opera not only to represent itself to the city, but also to open up physically; the required space program is arranged in such a way that important rooms and areas invite people into the building. In addition to the gastronomic areas, the rehearsal stages and the orchestra rehearsal room are made accessible for public use directly from the street by means of adjustable floors. The roof terrace landscape is available to the public around the clock.

Rather than be an introverted building, the proposed design opens the opera to the promenading people and connects them to various types of events at the Komische Oper. Visibility into the large rooms and the natural roof terrace landscape are clearly communicating architectural elements that do not require any signs. The new building for the Komische Oper Berlin is not just an administrative building, but in contrast to the virtual world, it represents the real cultural experience in terms of content and symbols.

Explanation of the usage concept
The new structure is designed in such a way that the public and the opera are intertwined everywhere from Unter den Linden via Glinkastra§e to Behrenstra§e and then to the roof terraces. Rehearsal stages are intended as multi-purpose halls; Open air projections, receptions, etc. can take place on the roof terraces. The publicly accessible space on the ground floor is kept as wide as possible. The entrance areas and the gastronomic services are located here. The space program is divided so that the artistic area is arranged in the new west wing, the administration around the stage tower and the technology in the east wing.

The distribution of functions not only makes it possible to minimize the footprint of the new building and thus to optimize the proportion of public space, it also makes it possible to read all the layers of the building. The competition proposal accordingly provides for the careful renovations and restorations required in terms of historic preservation. The stage tower is raised by 5 m. The operational processes can take place as required. The new administration offices are arranged around the stage tower, giving them a privileged view of the city. At night, subtle and sustainable light installations can turn the tower into the new symbol of the opera. Renewable energy systems are integrated in the building.

Statements and construction and materials
On the one hand the new building is seen as part of the urban space - see the roof restaurant on Unter den Linden - on the other hand as a vessel that encompasses public space. The narrow building has clear vertical structures (rehearsal stages and orchestra hall, etc.) over which the horizontal parts of the building span like a bridge and thus free the public space on the ground floor.

While the visible parts of the facade take up the edge of the block on the upper floors, the structure as a whole sees itself as a horizontally extended topographical layering. To accentuate this horizontal stratification, curtain-like metal cladding elements are placed, which some viewers might recall the anticipation before a performance. The rhythmic structure of the metal cladding elements allows a rich, yet consistent appearance that represents a unity in diversity.