Gendarmenmarkt Berlin Design and utilization concept

The square shape - A magnificent space

The emergence of the Gendarmenmarkt as an element of baroque urban expansion still shapes its urban character today. Especially in the context of neighbouring urban spaces such as the Lustgarten, Bebelplatz and the newly emerging Humboldtforum, its independent identity becomes apparent.

The opposite of the cathedral buildings and the characteristic north-south orientation are essential features that distinguish the Gendarmenmarkt in a special way. Like no other square, it impressively presents the representative architecture of the classicist era. The extension over three street quarters of Friedrichstadt opens up a wide urban space, which really shows off the magnificent, very vividly structured buildings.

The staircases of the historic buildings in particular support this representative effect. They are not only functional entrances and architectural elements, but also make it possible to view the square from an elevated spatial perspective. At the same time, the buildings are raised on a high pedestal, which further emphasizes their dignified effect.

The symmetries that can be read in the urban figure are an essential feature of the spatial design. Thus, the tower buildings with their generous porticos face each other at a respectful distance, giving the playhouse the opportunity for its full architectural impact. The surrounding square perimeter development with its uniform eaves height supports the concept of the solitary buildings and gives the square a dignified setting. Even today, it is a magnificent experience to emerge from the dense street grid of Friedrichstadt directly onto the open, wide Gendarmenmarkt. As if in a precious casket, the buildings are displayed in all their beauty and can be admired from all sides.

In addition to the clear axes of symmetry, other spatial features can also be read, which help to give the square a more differentiated structure. While the eastern half of the square turns very open and representative to the Markgrafenstraße, the western part of the square at the Charlottenstraße is characterized by narrower spatial structures. This situation has its origin in the composition of the cathedral and church buildings, whose towers face each other in the eastern half of the square. This asymmetry is also emphasized by the clear orientation of the Schauspielhaus, which is characterized by a clear distinction between front and back. The spatial concept of the different sides of the square extends into the street space, and so today the "show side" of the square can be experienced above all from Markgrafenstrasse, while technical functions dominate opposite.

The richly structured buildings with their distinguished facades and above all the inviting portals, porticos and open staircases almost imperatively require an open, generous square space in order to be able to unfold their effect. It is therefore all the more serious that some originally well-intentioned changes are now detracting from the clear urban image of the Gendarmenmarkt. For example, it is above all the tree grids of spherical maple, which have grown into dense canopies in recent decades, that obscure the facades of the church buildings at the front sides of the square and at the so important street corners and interrupt lines of sight. The very low treetops cannot develop appropriate proportions to the mighty buildings and create an oppressive spatial atmosphere. In addition, these areas are separated from the street space by a set of steps, which further intensifies the partially cramped situation.

The generous paving of the Gendarmenmarkt underscores the basic urban planning idea and can be read as an overarching motif in a pleasing way. In detail, however, it no longer meets today's expectations of an elegant and comfortably usable surface. The very diverse mixture of materials competes with the elegant façade structure of the historic buildings and cannot achieve the design and functional standards of the buildings in the quality of detail.

The furnishing elements in the area in front of the Schauspielhaus as well as at the edges of the square testify to a relatively uniform design language and underline the representative character of the Gendarmenmarkt. On the other hand, the candelabra and bollards in particular, with their strong design, sometimes create spatial divisions that do not correspond to the original urban planning approach.

In the end, it is also the furniture, some of which takes up a lot of space, that makes what is actually a very spacious square appear "blocked off" in some places. Although the many restaurants and cafés are what give the square its pleasant urban flair in the first place, the splendid urban space is severely disturbed in places by overhanging seating, oversized parasols or extensive bar facilities.

The use - A place for all days

Today, the Gendarmenmarkt is one of the busiest squares in the city. It is used both in everyday life and on special occasions in the most diverse ways.

The three buildings dominating the square not only give it its essential architectural appearance, but also shape the use of the public space with their respective functions. The Schauspielhaus (concert hall) in particular plays a prominent role here with its diverse events. The stage and transport entrances face Charlottenstrasse, but the constricted space and a multitude of walls and stairs make access to these areas difficult. This is partly exacerbated when parked vehicles obstruct the already very narrow delivery zone.

The public entrances to the concert hall, on the other hand, face the square in a very generous and representative manner. Visitors reach the ground floor of the building via a barrier-free entrance. The open staircase above also opens the hall level to the Gendarmenmarkt and connects the building with the square space in a grand gesture. The staircase not only serves as a pathway, but is also a popular place to spend time and is also used for representative purposes.

The two cathedral buildings are also very strongly oriented towards the public space, with the generous staircases also representing the connecting element here. With the exhibitions located in both buildings, the special social and cultural role of the Gendarmenmarkt becomes clear.

Despite the streets surrounding the square on all sides, there are strong functional interrelationships with the neighbouring quarters. The diverse uses of the peripheral zones have largely echoed the high aspirations of the urban space. Hotels, restaurants and shops strive to offer high-quality products and often also show design quality in their external appearance. In this way, they make a decisive contribution to the elegant atmosphere of the Gendarmenmarkt.
The square itself is used in very different ways in everyday life. In addition to passers-by who regularly cross the square, it is primarily tourists who move across the square on foot or in a wide variety of vehicles. The analysis of the path relationships makes it clear that especially the eastern half of the square with its photogenic perspectives on the historic buildings is very heavily frequented. Other areas, on the other hand, are used less or even avoided. The steps at the edge of the square and the low tree canopies, which act as spatial and functional barriers that channel the pathways, also have a very unfavorable effect in this regard.

The popularity of the centrally located Gendarmenmarkt is expressed in a large number of events and activities that enliven the square throughout the year. In particular, the Christmas market and the "Classic Open Air" - Festival take place regularly on the square area. However, a multitude of unattractive containers, fences and cable routes then often testify to the difficulty of integrating these undoubtedly important uses appropriately into the elegant urban space in terms of design. The lack of infrastructure proves to be a disadvantage here, as the entire supply and disposal system is routed across the square in temporary routes.

The traffic - in the middle of the city

The Gendarmenmarkt is decisively shaped by the historically handed down, orthogonal street grid of Friedrichstadt. The square is framed by Charlottenstraße in the west, Markgrafenstraße in the east, Französische Straße in the north and Mohrenstraße in the south.

A special feature of the road network is that Taubenstrasse and Jägerstrasse, which are part of the regular road network outside the square, are interrupted by the Gendarmenmarkt. On the west side of the square, two access roads have been constructed as extensions of these two streets, which allow vehicles to enter the square in special cases, for example during major events. The grid-like road network ensures a high degree of flexibility with regard to the choice of route for vehicle traffic, which has a positive effect in the event of disruptions or accidents and leads to a largely even distribution of traffic volumes.

There is always intensive traffic at the Gendarmenmarkt during temporary events, such as the set-up and dismantling of the Christmas market. In addition, there are sometimes impairments due to deliveries of the catering areas directly on the square area. While Charlottenstrasse is mainly used for deliveries to the Gendarmenmarkt, Markgrafenstrasse is used more for tourist access.

The streets surrounding the Gendarmenmarkt to the west, south and east have similar significance in terms of vehicle traffic. The Französische Straße is to be classified as of higher priority in comparison. The use of the streets surrounding the square is restricted by traffic law only with regard to the maximum permitted speed. The Gendarmenmarkt is located in a 30 km/h zone. At the junctions and intersections, the "right before left" priority rule applies. Only Französische Strasse lies outside this zone and has the right of way in relation to the roads leading into it, in accordance with its overriding development function.

At the junction of Französische Strasse/Charlottenstrasse there is a traffic light system which ensures that pedestrian traffic can cross the carriageway via all approaches. There are no other structural installations or operational arrangements to secure and facilitate carriageway crossings across the roads surrounding the square. Pedestrians usually find it difficult to access the square. They have to make their way between vehicles parked at the edge of the roadway, vehicles stopping in the second lane, and moving traffic. Steps at the edge of the square further impede barrier-free access to the square.

In terms of longitudinal pedestrian traffic, the usable width of the building-side sidewalks on both Markgrafenstrasse and Charlottenstrasse is severely restricted in some cases by space-consuming special uses, planters, and other street furnishings such as poles and parking ticket machines. The sidewalk on the square side is so narrow, particularly in the northern section of Charlottenstraße and west of the concert hall, that oncoming pedestrians cannot meet or walk side by side.

There are no facilities for bicycle traffic in the surrounding streets; they are dispensable within the 30 km/h zone. Cycling is "tolerated" in the square area, although it is not permitted by traffic law. Cyclists cross the Gendarmenmarkt mainly in the west/east direction in the course of Taubenstrasse and Jägerstrasse as well as diagonally from the southwest to the northeast. The diagonal from northwest to southeast is only limited usable because of the steps of the square edges and because of the planting.

The roadway edges of the streets surrounding the square are almost universally occupied on both sides by parked vehicles. Second row parking is common, as adequate parking is not kept clear for delivery traffic or tour buses. The parked vehicles obstruct access to the square and impair important sight lines. The principle of "see and be seen", which is important for traffic safety, is severely restricted by the parked vehicles, especially for pedestrian traffic. At the same time, however, the numerous existing parking garages and underground garages in the surrounding area are underutilized.
At all edges of the square, there is a high demand for parking space for bicycles, which cannot be met by the existing parking facilities. The result is numerous "wildly" parked bicycles, which lead to visual impairments and in some cases represent potential hazards.

The high frequency of coaches bringing visitors to the Gendarmenmarkt and picking them up again leads to conflicts, particularly in Markgrafenstraße, due to visual disturbances on the showcase side of the square and makes accessibility difficult. The public street space often becomes a parking lot for buses for the duration of a visit to Gendarmenmarkt and the view of the square is thus completely obstructed.
In the northern section of Charlottenstraße, taxi stands have been set up at the edge of the roadway facing the square. The already very narrow sidewalk is taken up in this area when vehicle doors are opened for passengers to board and is thus further restricted.

public planning process

Planning process - participation desired

Since the first planning considerations for the redesign of the Gendarmenmarkt, a series of events and discussions have been held to develop the concept with a broad consensus.

Utilization concept - Respectful and flexible

In the future, too, the Gendarmenmarkt is to be enlivened by a wide variety of uses. The prerequisite for this is still an open spatial concept with a multifunctional usable surface.

The existing functions will be retained in principle, but their locations will be reviewed and partially realigned on the basis of the preferred view and path relationships. In particular, the buildings on the square area are to be given a little more "respect distance" so as not to impair the facades in their magnificent effect.

As before, the cafés and restaurants remain the most important everyday uses on the square. Particularly in the furnishing of the pub gardens, the aim is therefore to precisely determine the future positioning and to develop as uniform and restrained a furnishing system as possible overall. The avoidance of overly conspicuous colours, logos and advertising elements would greatly benefit the overall effect of the space.

It is still intended to operate the tap gardens only during the summer months, thus giving the space a "winter rest". During this time, the space will have a completely different atmosphere - only the Christmas market will set a very special accent in December.

A variety of technical elements will support a more effective use of the square in the future, as well as a more economical assembly and disassembly of the temporary structures. For example, the installation of an underground electrical supply station will eliminate the need for cumbersome cable runs on the surface, making the square more comfortable and safer to walk on. Ground sockets will make it possible to anchor sunshades and other open-air furniture firmly in the ground so that the heavy "club feet" can be dispensed with.

In the future, large events, such as the traditional Classic Open Air, will also be possible on the square. With the improved infrastructure, optimal conditions will then also be available for this. However, the highest standards must be applied, particularly with regard to the type, duration and intensity of these events, in order not to devalue the magnificent square through overuse. The aim of the overall concept is therefore also to develop a "usage regulation" in addition to the design and functional planning, which will secure the newly created qualities as permanently as possible.

Traffic - More space in the square

The orthogonal street grid of Friedrichstadt will be adopted largely unchanged as the framework for the Gendarmenmarkt and the existing street connections will be retained.
The recently redeveloped Markgrafenstrasse as well as Französische Strasse and Mohrenstrasse are not to be structurally altered.

In the future, Französische Straße will become more important for motorized individual traffic (MIV). In order to safeguard bicycle traffic, protective lanes are to be arranged on the carriageway throughout this section of the road.
A structural change is proposed for Charlottenstrasse. The roadway width is to be reduced to 9 m, which, while retaining the sidewalks on the west side, will significantly widen the width of the square-side sidewalk. This will provide adequate side space for longitudinal pedestrian traffic to the west of the concert hall.
Operational arrangements for moving MIV traffic will be retained for the time being. In connection with the extension of Markgrafenstrasse, a traffic light system was installed at the intersection with Französische Strasse. This secures the roadway crossings for pedestrian traffic and facilitates accessibility for the northeast corner of the square.
The stationary traffic at the edges of the square and in Charlottenstrasse is to be reorganized, in particular the permanent parking at the edges of the square will be eliminated circumferentially. The parking spaces eliminated in the MIV can be compensated for by the parking spaces available in the adjacent streets and in the surrounding underground car parks.
The northern edge of the square in the course of Französische Straße is to be reserved for coaches to bring and pick up tourists. In Charlottenstrasse, due to the restriction of the lane width, the stopping of motor vehicles will only be possible on one side and will be reserved for delivery traffic. This function is intended to be two-way, particularly for improved delivery to the concert hall.
The taxi rank, which currently exists on the north section of Charlottenstrasse on the side of the square, is to be relocated to the opposite side of the carriageway.
The driving of motor vehicles through the square is to be further restricted. The driveways currently constructed on Charlotten Street are to be eliminated in the future and will only be visible as curb drops in the surrounding sidewalk.

Design concept - An elegant room

After the essential principles have been defined in the guidelines for the design and use of the Gendarmenmarkt, the presented planning variants show different aspects, especially in the handling of the historical substance as well as in the use of vegetation.

The aim here is not to view the variants as mutually exclusive alternatives, but rather to find a viable solution that is carefully "balanced" in all aspects, which on the one hand has a functional and modern contemporary reference, and on the other hand also allows the different layers of time as well as the monument substance to become recognizable.

Common to all approaches is the retention of the generous, open square space, which also includes the crossing Taubenstrasse and Jägerstrasse. The removal of the stepped features at the edges of the square provides the opportunity to restore the surface to its original elevation. This improves the accessibility of the square and connects the square with the surrounding urban space. In this way, the urban planning effect of the entire ensemble is restored. Especially in the surroundings of the French Cathedral, a spacious and easily accessible surface will be created again. The entrances and stairways to Französische Straße and Markgrafenstraße will become freely visible and accessible. In future, it will be easier for coaches to stop at Französische Strasse, where they will be given space for passengers to board and disembark comfortably.

The removal of the staircases at the edges of the square means that a large part of the maple planting is now available. This creates an opportunity to consider restructuring the vegetation and reinforce the original motif of free-standing specimen trees. This approach has also met with broad approval in the planning process to date and is therefore common to all variants.

In particular, the spatial situation around the concert hall, which appears cramped in places, can be significantly eased in the future. The widening of the sidewalk on the Charlottenstrasse side of the square will make it possible to remove steps and edges in the immediate vicinity of the entrance and thus restore the necessary freedom of movement for pedestrians.

In the course of these fundamental decisions, the surfaces of the square will be renewed in large parts. The aim here is to maintain as large a level surface as possible. This serves a regulated drainage of the place and at the same time also a robust usability. The design of the pavements will be discussed in connection with the consideration of monument preservation. In addition to today's articulated structures in a square grid, there were also relatively homogeneously paved surfaces in parts of the Gendarmenmarkt in earlier periods. The principle here is to provide the square with a comfortable and durable stone surface that does not deny the historical context.

back to overview to the time shades

1. The square shape - A magnificent space
2. The use - A place for all days
3. The traffic - in the middle of the city
4. public planning process
5. Utilization concept - Respectful and flexible
6. Traffic - More space in the square
7. Design concept - An elegant room