The (re) Making of… the Reichstag

April marked twenty-five years since the practice completed its transformation of the Reichstag in Berlin. Stefan Behling, Head of Studio at Foster + Partners, describes what it was like to be part of the team that worked on the major redevelopment project, during the early stages of his career.

The reconstruction takes cues from the original fabric; the layers of history were peeled away to reveal striking imprints of the past – stonemason’s marks and Russian graffiti − scars that have been preserved as a ‘living museum’. But in other respects, it is a radical departure; within its heavy shell it is light and transparent, its activities on view.

Winning the first competition, 1992

I began my career at Foster + Partners in 1987 and – a couple of years later – my friend Mark Braun joined the office in London. We were both in our late twenties and had studied architecture together in Aachen, Germany. Prior to entering the Reichstag competition, I remember being asked if a British practice could win the job – and answering that our chance would be slim!

Mark and I were lucky enough to be part of the small team that worked on the competition, for approximately eight weeks. Led by Noman [Foster] and David [Nelson], the practice’s original scheme positioned the Reichstag at the centre of a generous new public space, sheltered beneath a pillowed roof that tied together old and new.

Responding to a need for more functional spaces – a podium wrapped around the base of the building – complete with committee rooms, administrative and subsidiary functions. The edge of the podium followed the curve of the river Spree, providing cafés, restaurants, and other amenities along a new riverwalk, all sheltered beneath the canopy. The Reichstag’s own rooftop was also made accessible, literally and symbolically elevating the public above their political representatives.

Crucially, our scheme had a strong sustainable agenda. During the competition stage, we worked closely with Norbert Kaiser, a superb MEP specialist and key member of the READ Group (Renewable Energies in Architecture and Design) that pursued a sustainable solar architecture. The enormous roof was designed to deflect light into the building’s interiors, support natural ventilation, and harvest energy with photovoltaic panels.

The practice had recent experience of developing low-energy designs for the Microelectronics Park in Duisburg (completed in the early 1990s) and the Commerzbank in Frankfurt (designed in 1991 and completed six years later), which we drew on for the competition scheme.  

Much to our delight – we won the joint first prize – along with Pi de Bruijn from the Netherlands and Santiago Calatrava, whose practice is based in Switzerland.

Responding to the Spreebogen masterplan, 1993

A subsequent competition between the three finalists was based on a new brief, which was precipitated by Axel Schultes and Charlotte Frank’s Spreebogen masterplan. The masterplan reduced the Reichstag project’s total floorspace by 60 percent, meaning all the necessary accommodation could fit neatly inside the original building. There was no longer a need for a new outdoor public forum or podium.

Rather than trying to adapt our competition entry, we went back to the drawing board. The Reichstag’s plenary chamber became the focus of our new scheme, with a smaller double-skinned roof floating above it. The theme of public accessibility remained central to our latest design, with a rooftop viewing gallery that placed people above the politicians.

In terms of working with the existing building fabric, we wanted to explore the interplay between old and new. Our design preserves the building’s layers of history, articulates contemporary additions, and clearly expresses its repairs.

Winning the project was a fantastic moment for the office – and the start of an incredibly rewarding period of work.

Reimagining the dome

In the months that followed, members of the new Bundestag continued to advocate for the reinstatement of the Reichstag’s dome. Although the practice was reluctant to rebuild a replica dome, we recognised the need for a symbolic presence on the city skyline.

We eventually landed on the idea of a glass cupola, with spiralling twin ramps that lead to an observation platform above the chamber. The practice was particularly interested in the relationship between form and function – with the cupola revealing the activities within – while also driving the building’s environmental strategy.  

A central reflective cone plays an important role in the building’s natural ventilation system, drawing out stale air from the assembly chamber to supplement the natural stack effect. A moveable shield also tracks the path of the sun to prevent the penetration of solar heat and glare.

In my view, buildings should act like sailing boats – harnessing the power of nature to bring people joy – without doing harm.  I see the updated Reichstag as a true sailboat building that provides a sustainable model for future generations.

The project achieves a 94 percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by burning renewable bio-fuel in a cogenerator to produce electricity. Surplus heat is stored as hot water in an aquifer deep below ground and can be pumped up to heat the building, or to drive an absorption cooling plant to produce chilled water.

Testing the cupola

The Reichstag’s cupola was also designed to act as a ‘light sculptor’ that reflects horizon light down into the assembly chamber. When the chamber is in use, the cone reverses its function to reflect light projected from twelve high-intensity xenon lamps, transforming the dome into a glowing beacon at night.

The team worked closely with our lighting specialist, the late Claude Engle, who was passionate about utilising the exquisite light from the horizon. To better understand our lighting concept, we made a 1:20 scale prototype – which was large enough to stand inside – and tested it under real daylight conditions on the roof of the Reichstag.

A positive symbol for Germany

Not long after we won the competition, Mark Braun relocated to Berlin and worked tirelessly on site until the project completed in 1998. He was a brilliant architect and friend, who sadly passed away in 2008.

Twenty-five years since completion, the new Reichstag continues to be a positive symbol for Germany. It was a great privilege to be part of the wonderful team that transformed an unloved building, with a chequered history, into a popular destination that is an emblem of rebirth.