Seminar Building 'Haus der Wannsee-Konferenz‘

Berlin, Germany

Photo © Marcus Ebener

The Haus der Wannsee-Konferenz is the most prominent memorial to the genocide of European Jews for people from abroad. An additional seminar building became necessary to cope with the growing number of visitors and to expand the facilities for conferences.
The building is positioned between the former gardener’s residence and the rose garden, bounding the villa’s garden on the south. The addition is enclosed on three sides and opened only with a glazed façade for the foyer facing the main building. A cantilevering roof ties in a garden path on both ends, its curvature connecting the low, cautious appearance on the exterior facing the historic estate and the required ceiling height on the interior for the use as a conference space. This plastic modulation lends the building an unmistakable appearance. The ceiling-high glazed foyer acts as a meeting point and recreational space that lives from the view of the historic site and contrasts the reduced atmosphere of the rear conference hall. Embedded in a wooden envelope it is lit by skylights and windows on the rear of the building. Room dividers, built in furniture, solar protection, light and media services are all integrated in the wooden envelope. Two adjoining spaces to the east and the west encapsulate the conference space. They are, just like the enclosed façade, made of exposed concrete forming a strong frame for the building from which the striking cantilevering roof emerges.