Kubus Berlin : Architecture Information + Images

’Der Cube’ building, Washington Platz 2008- 3XN For Deutsche Bahn, Architecture competition winner Also competing were Auer+Weber, Foster + Partners and Dominique Perrault Client: Vivico Prize: 1. Prize, international competition 2007 Size: 19,000 m2 3XN's Kubus is located on Washington Platz next to the largest central station in Europe, Lehrter Bahnhof, surrounded by the reunited Germany’s new government buildings, Parliament and the famous Tiergarten. The brief unites the significant geometric shape with a sculptural expression on the facades. The interior of the building concentrates on openness and dynamism, and a tall central atrium with four plateaus opens it up toward the surrounding city. There has been much focus on knowledge sharing as well as on an stimulating working environment with many attractive zones and possibilities for choosing between formal meetings and informal encounters. The ground floor comprises a large, semi public lobby for exhibitions, auditoriums, activity zones for children etc. The main structure of the building is shaped like a cross with four bearing storey decks. The storey decks rotate around the axis of the house like a fan, creating a natural upward helix structure which enables the interior of the building to be used more efficiently. This also increases the flexibility of the house, as it makes it possible to establish office zones wherever needed. 3XN takes the traditional storey decks and rotates every other of them around the atrium, which is open to the roof, thus creating four plateaus that are four-times normal floor height. This solution provides more space to the office zones and illuminates each plateau, including the meeting facilities around the centre of the house. The atrium ties together the four plateaus and ensures visual as well as physical connections all over the building. Formal and informal meeting rooms and meeting zones, small office zones and large open office spaces can be established and changed without restraint according to the various needs. Kubus Berlin images / information from 3XN Architects 270309