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| Der Deutche Bundestag | The New German Parliament, Reichstag |
"Wer vor der Vergangenheit die Augen verschliesst, der wird am Ende blind fuer die Gegenwart..." | |
The New German Parliament Photo by Aoki Tsukasa | ||
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Der Bundestag symbolizes German history Der Bundestag is a reconstruction of the old Reichstag (Older Imperial Parliament Building), which was completed by Paul Wallot in 1894, about twenty years after the birth of the Prussian Empire in 1871. The Bundenstag reminds the Germans of their oppressive history of force. When arson devastated the building in 1933, it was blamed on the Communists as a conspiracy to overthrow the government. This accusation by the Nazis led to a systematic oppression of the Left and prompted Hitler to rise to national prominence and eventually, dictatorship. In addition, a photograph of Soviet soldiers waving a red flag on the Bundestag Building's rooftop was widely recognized as the symbol of the fall of Berlin toward the end of the Second World War. Furthermore, the Berlin Wall was erected in the building's vicinity after the war. Later, the Bundestag Building was redesigned by Paul Baumgarten and reconstructed to house a provisional museum to exhibit 'Germany's Historical Issues'. The Old Reichstag Building The Reichstag is located in the eastern end of the Kungs Platz (King's Plaza), at the northern part of the Brandenburg Gate on the River Spree. It was built in the Neo-Baroque style that was predominant in the last years of the 19th century. The many rows of columns, sculptures, and above all, a large glass-covered Dome with a gold-coated copper border, from which a crown-like lantern was hung, presented exorbitant glitter, which, however gorgeous, was criticized severely by experts as "the epitome of bad taste" or "a hearse for the first class". However, the Reichstag remained popular among the German people. Foster aims to make a dialogue between past and now After the unification of East and West Germany, heated arguments eventually concluded that the state capital be transferred back to Berlin. Then it was decided that the Bundestag be moved into the Old Reichstag. An international architects' competition was held to commission the work, and Foster & Partners was selected from among the 14 architects teams that entered the competition in 1992-3. Mr. Foster's initial plan was to retain the Dome-less Reichstag, since the Dome had been removed in 1954, and then cover the building with a 50 meter-high lens structure, almost resembling a glass roof. Mr. Foster intended to support the roof structure with over 25 pillars. The German Parliament (Bundestag) as well as the general public favored to retain the old Dome of historical significance. Finally, after much debate, the Dome was to be erected and revived. One of Foster's concepts was to conserve the memories of the past in their original form. After removing all the plaster boards and asbestos that had been added by the repair works done in 1960s, fragments of the 19th-century molding, markings carved by the masons at the time of original construction, traces of war damage, graffiti scrawled by the Soviet soldiers in 1945 after the Fall of Berlin, are clearly visible, in their original or slightly more emphasized form. In redesigning the plane, the architects paid respect to the classical plans. On the other hand, they also added highly transparent structures such as the New Dome, as if to choreograph a dialogue between the past and the present. In this sense, The Bundestag is, in a way, a living museum of the German history. |  |
The architecture aimed at an open politics --Bringing citizens close to the Legislature Today visitors flock to the western entrance of the Bundestag. You need not make an appointment to walk inside this building. Glancing at the pediment, which reads "Dem Deutschen Volk" (for the people of Germany) and walking through the glazed windbreak room, you can see the floor of the Assembly Hall through the glass partition. Taking a scenic elevator (with a view of the five-story high Entrance Hall) up to the top floor, you can span the view of the Roof-Terrace, the Dome and the Observatory where we can enjoy a bird's-eye view of the city of Berlin. In the center of the Dome is a top light, which allows viewers to peak down at the Assembly Hall, even though the panels of historical exhibits somehow force the visitors to lean forward over the handrail if they want to command a better view. People walk about high above the heads of their representatives, exemplifying an architectural expression in a country which proclaims open democracy. Floor arrangement The ground floor with its many small rooms mainly house administrative offices of the Bundestag. The people who work here use the two small service entrances located at the southern and northern ends of the building. The central section of the first floor has two Entrance Halls, one each at the western and eastern ends of the building. The Assembly Hall with 750 seats is located on this floor. The Chairman and the Ministers sit, facing the Western Entrance, so one gets the impression, upon entering the building, that their representatives are all on the same side as ordinary visitors. The legislative lobby and even a chapel are also located on this floor. The Second Floor houses rooms for the President and the Federal Councillors, in addition to the seats provided for the media. With permission, one can secure a seat to hear and observe the Legislature in action. Committee Rooms provided for political parties and press offices are located on the third floor. Members of the press can clearly observe the developments in the Assembly Hall, watching through the glass. The intended physical proximity of the Party Committee Rooms and the Press Room enhance the transparency of the Legislature. A restaurant located in the Roof-Terrace of the 4th floor is open both to tourists and citizens. |
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