St. Mary's Church at Alexanderplatz

Located in the centre of Berlin, St. Mary’s Church is a remnant of medieval times. The structures now surrounding this precious building, i.e. the TV Tower, concrete tower blocks and busy thoroughfares, have hemmed in what remains of it, and over the centuries the elevation of the surrounding city has been raised by nearly 1.5 metres. A redesign of the church’s grounds was therefore necessary to strengthen its spatial situation and give it an atmosphere which is once again peaceful, despite the vibrant environment in which it is located.

The building is now surrounded by a plaza that has been generously expanded and rebuilt at the original medieval elevation. Brick walls and steps demarcate the outer edge of the church’s property and also conceal differences in elevation. The plaza merges gently into the immediate area and provides space that shields the building from its heterogeneous surroundings. The new walls jump back and forth, forming sculptural benches that evoke the proportions of the church’s pews.

Bands of brick pavers trace the city’s historic layout. The existence of buildings that have long since disappeared has been verified through intensive archaeological excavations. Information stelae provide information about the site’s interesting and varied history.

The materials used have a reference to those found in this medieval religious building: The brick walls are built with of hand-made, coal-fired bricks of a variety of shades, the paving materials consist of used and reworked granite setts, while some of the pavers under the eaves of the church were found on site and reinstalled.