“3XN Architects has won the international architectural competition for a new head quarter for Deutsche Bahn in Berlin. 3XN competed against international star architects like Norman Foster, Dominique Perrault and Auer + Weber. The location of “Cube”, as the project is named, is one of the most prominent and prestigious sites in Europe: the very centre of Berlin, on the Washingtonplatz surrounded by the united Germany’s new government buildings, the Parliament, the famous Tiergarten and Lehrter Bahnhof, the largest central station in Europe.
“It is a great honour and a very interesting but also a demanding challenge to be invited to build on a site which is one of the most central locations – not only in Germany but in the entire new Europe. Standing here, you realise that you are on the construction site of history”, says partner and principal architect at 3XN, Kim Herforth Nielsen. The 3XN winning proposal unites the significant geometric shape with a sculptural expression on the facades. The interior of the house focuses on openness and flexibility with a tall central atrium and four plateaus that open up the building toward the surrounding city. Great importance has been attached to knowledge sharing, an invigoration working environment with many interesting zones and areas, as well as possibilities for choosing between formal and informal encounters. The winning proposal is a new opportunity for 3XN to return to the city where we had our first international break through with the Danish Embassy in Berlin almost ten years ago.”