1. Prize Architectural Competition Humboldt-Forum: Francesco Stella; Picture: T. Seidel
The Dismantling of the Palace of the Republic is finished, the winner of the international architectural competition for the construction of the Humboldt-Forum has been concluded.
In July 2002, the German Parliament (Bundestag) voted to dismantle the Palace of the Republic. In February 2006, work began on the environmentally-friendly removal of the building.
The intricate dismantling process, which took place step by step in distinct phases, should have been scheduled for completion in the summer of 2007, the unexpected discovery of asbestos however delayed the final work until spring 2009.
The surface area upon which the Berlin City Palace (Stadtschloss) once stood will be remodeled starting May 2009 according to the designs of the Berlin office of "relais Landschaftsarchiteken" - an interim solution until work can begin on the Humboldt-Forum.
The proposed new building will re-establish the historical dimensions of this central part of old Berlin. It will also re-frame the Palace Square and close the urban gap resulting from the demolition of the City Palace in 1950.
