Archive: The Capital City of Berlin - Documentation

In 1993 the "Development Measure for the Capital City of Berlin - Parliamentary and Government Quarter" was adopted. Its task was the "structural preparation of the integration of Parliament and the Government in the centre of Berlin". With this measure Berlin began to organize and prepare for the numerous tasks ahead.

Expectations were high right from the outset. Special importance was placed on procedural continuity as on 20 June 1991 the German Bundestag had reached a decision ("for the completion of German unity") requiring the city to work together with the Federation to guarantee that Berlin would begin functioning as a capital city by a given time.

In reviewing the development process of the last few years, it can be said that, all in all, the results have been quite positive. The ambitious expectations have been fulfilled to a great extent. Berlin's centre and government quarter have been given a distinct new identity. The development measure made it possible to control the process and make sufficient funding available for the creation of a design which was appropriate for this urban space.

The spatial structures that make up Berlin's historical urban layout are once again recognizable in many places. Open space, especially near the Spreebogen, has been given a new quality and received great public acceptance. Restructuring streets and plazas has greatly enhanced the city's centre. Walkways along the Spree and the Spree Canal are once again connected to the rest of the city. The ministries have contributed to the preservation of valuable architectural fabric. An attractive mixture of old and new buildings has been good for the cityscape. Facilities belonging to the Bundestag, to cultural and scientific institutions, embassies, diverse organisations, the press, the media, and other parliament-related services have all found a place. Residential development, especially at Moabiter Werder and Friedrichswerder, complement the Parliamentary and Government Quarter and give them their own individual character.