Entrée and "face" of Siemensstadt Square
The future entrance area of Siemensstadt Square significantly shapes the face of Berlin's new future quarter and is therefore of particular importance. It is located between the future Siemensstadt S-Bahn station, Rohrdamm and Siemensstadt Square. The open spaces of the Entrées cover a total of more than 20,000 square meters - almost as large as three soccer fields - which are divided into three areas: the square at the S-Bahn station, the forecourt to the Siemens Atrium building and the area on Rohrdamm. This is where visitors will disembark from the revitalised Siemensstadt train. This is where the public information pavilion will be built and exist beyond the development phase of Siemensstadt Square. And from here, the future Siemens Boulevard will lead into the new district.
The future entrance to Siemensstadt Square will now be designed by Greenbox Landschaftsarchitekten Schäfer + Pieper PartG mbB of Cologne. This has been certain since the jury meeting on January 11, 2023. The meeting was preceded by a competition to which Siemens, together with the State of Berlin, had invited six renowned landscape architecture firms. The wishes of the citizens were also requested within the context of the competition and have been taken into consideration.
In keeping with tradition, all designs will be publicly exhibited from mid-February in the Siemens administration building, Rohrdamm 85, 13629 Berlin.
First impressions of the winning design
A design that inspired all participants...
The winning design is clearly structured and offers its future users a varied range of different barrier-free spatial qualities and creates a natural link with the neighborhood - people will feel at home here. It also creates a high level of climate resilience with a low degree of sealing, balanced plant selection and well thought-out rainwater management.
Since the end of February 2023, all six submitted designs have been presented to the public in the Siemens Verwaltungsgebäude, Rohrdamm 85, 13629 Berlin. Until 31 March 2023, the exhibition is open from Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 18:00.
All those who did not find the time to visit the competition exhibition in person are cordially invited to explore the designs digitally.
As part of the "open space planning realization competition" launched in September 2022, six landscape architecture firms were asked to develop ideas for the design of the open spaces on the site, which covers a total area of over 20,000 square meters.
In addition to general questions of design, room layout and the selection of the necessary materials, surfaces and colors, focus was also placed on numerous other aspects. These include the future planting concept, including the protection of nature and species, climate-appropriate adaptation to the increasing heavy rainfall events with appropriate rainwater management, and other factors such as safety or spatial and functional linkage.
A particularly special challenge was the design of the public spaces, such as the green areas or the open spaces of the planned cafés in this area, as well as the connection to existing road, traffic and bicycle path networks. The exact location of the information pavilion was also determined. In the future, interested parties and residents will be able to obtain information here about any developments in Siemensstadt Square. Because part of the planning area is also part of the public road network of the state of Berlin, the competition also took into account the requirements of the state.
Eight expert and expert judges and their deputies made up the jury that decided on the designs of the participating landscape architecture firms as part of the competition. On the part of the judges, there was an equal number of representatives from the City of Berlin and Siemens. They were assisted by over 20 experts from a wide range of specialist fields and judged the designs on criteria such as consumer and climate protection as well as sustainability, safety, cultural and monument preservation, building law and much more.
Specialist judges
• Jury Chair: Michael Kaschke, landscape architect, Hamburg
• Carla Lo, landscape architect, Vienna
• Tobias Micke, landscape architect, Berlin
• Marianne Mommsen, landscape architect, Berlin
Expert judges
• Prof. Petra Kahlfeldt, Architect, Senate Building Director and State Secretary, State of Berlin
• Thorsten Schatz, District Councilor, Spandau District Office of Berlin
• Stefan Kögl, Architect, Siemens AG, Berlin
• Jan Rehders, Architect, Siemens AG, Berlin
Deputy expert judge
• Elisabeth Lesche, landscape architect, Berlin
Substitute judges
• Manfred Kühne, Head of Department, Senate Department for Urban Development and Housing, State of Berlin
• Antje Uebelgünne, Head of Civil Engineering Department, Roads and Green Spaces Office, Spandau District Office of Berlin
• Egon Clesius, Siemens AG, Berlin
• Thomas Preuner, Siemens AG, Berlin
The future entrance to Siemensstadt Square will be designed by Greenbox Landschaftsarchitekten Schäfer + Pieper PartG mbB, Köln.
Inviting, citizen- and visitor-friendly, with plenty of green space, water features and a "Siemens Gallery" - these are the elements the winning design envisages for the new Siemensstadt Square entrée.
From the center of the entrance square, the "Siemens Gallery" leads directly into the boulevard. A timeline and illustrative smart boxes - with digital and analog information - bring the past and future of Siemensstadt to life here.
In addition to a planned information pavilion, three distinct areas will be created:
• "Blue Forum“: as a city square it invites visitors to linger - with an interactive fountain field, fog jets, atmospheric lighting scenarios and loudspeakers integrated into poles. The Blue Forum can also be used as a city stage for multifunctional events.
• "Green Forum": Will be designed as a garden of encounter with mobile urban furniture under trees. Here, additional underground tanks for rainwater infiltration will be created.
• "Climate Garden": With rectangular planted flowerbeds, it also contributes to rainwater infiltration and provides quiet lounging areas under trees.Generously planted green spaces create an inviting atmosphere. At the same time, they make a valuable contribution to urban ecology as well as water management.
Greenbox Landscape Architects Schäfer + Pieper PartG mbB, Köln
Since its foundation in 2002, the office has focused on the planning and realisation of public squares, promenades, parks and open spaces within an urban context. This they have done with sustainable concepts that are tailored to the respective needs of the people and environment. The office has developed individual strategies for public spaces, cultural and educational institutions, swimming pools, sports and leisure facilities as well as for medium and large companies in Germany and abroad.
GMO13 Landscape Architects, Berlin
Founded in 2013 in Berlin Kreuzberg, the office deals with all classical aspects of landscape architecture in public as well as private spaces. In addition to future urban and landscape development, with respect to social as well as climatic change, the office sees its focus in the design of adaptable, diverse and exceptional open spaces that evolve with the activity and development of the city and society.
Over the past 30 years, office founder Johann Senner has assembled an expert team of landscape architects, natural scientists, engineers and communications experts to handle challenging projects. The focus of the work is on the harmonisation of connective relationships within nature and settlement structures. The office has already received several awards, including Top Innovator 2020.
Pola Landscape Architects, Berlin
The name Pola stands for ‘poetic landscapes’. The name reflects the goal of the company to design spaces that generate emotions, invite new perspectives and can be experienced as emotional landscapes. Since its founding in 2009, the office has combined competencies from open space design, architecture, civil engineering, communication and the humanities.
With an interest for public spaces - their history, their stories and a great enthusiasm for the human element - this company understands landscape architecture as a service and incentive for human behaviour. With an eye for real potential and specific task requirements, the office seeks to create free spaces where suitability is highlighted in both designs and approach.
Founded in 1996, the office sees itself as a wanderer in the borderlands of typologies and scales, with detours into urban planning, music and art. The concepts developed are characterised by a critical and curious understanding of given realities - contemporary, cultural and historical. Aiming to create contemporary spaces for contemporary uses, the office aims to offer solutions that meet modern demands for variability, communication and sensibility.
As in previous competitions, citizens were again able to be involved. In September 2022, a citizens' forum was held to provide comprehensive information about the competition, the process, the participants and the specifications. Parallel to this, a large online dialog (www.mein.berlin.de) was launched in September, as well as an analog participation opportunity in which contributions could be submitted on postcards on site in Siemensstadt. All the suggestions and ideas were collected, processed and incorporated into the specifications of the competition. The report of the results for the corresponding citizen participation can be viewed here .
All designs from the competition, including the winning design, will be exhibited in mid-February 2023.