Barkow Leibinger

Barkow Leibinger
Schillerstraße 94, D–10625 Berlin
T +49(0)30 315712 -0 F -29
info@barkowleibinger.com
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Biosphere, Potsdam

The Biosphere and Flower Pavilion was constructed for the German Horticultural Show 2001 Potsdam in the vicinity of the Sanssouci Palace. The project is located in the Bornstedter Fields, a site used for the last 100 years by the military for troop exercises and barracks. The building is generated by the forms of the earthen berms on the site that had been built by the Soviet Army during their occupation as defensive barriers. The building is formed by a series of berms forming an artificial valley that is enclosed by a simple flat roof with skylights.

Carving into the earth, a sunken garden reduces the height of the building. The berm forms are clad in oak logs, grass, slate or are of poured concrete. With partial views to the adjacent park framed, the visitor is led through a series of inclined planes covered by tropical plants and flowers either at the level of the ground or from suspended bridges. After the six month garden show, the pavilion functions as a commercial attraction run by a film company.

Project Information

Architects — Barkow Leibinger, Berlin Frank Barkow, Regine Leibinger

 

Team Competition — Julien Monfort, Heiko Krech, Stefan Barme, Oliver Neumann, Cirsti Weich

 

Team Construction — Heiko Krech, Christian Helfrich, Dietrich Bernstorf, Giuseppe Boezi, Bernd Jürgens, Stephanie Kaindl, Jan Kircher, Karen Lohrmann, Volkmar Nickol, Karin Ocker, Andrea Pelzeter, Florian Steinbächer

 

Program

Exhibition Hall, Offices, Caféteria, Laboratory, Restaurant, Palludarium

 

Location

Potsdam, Germany

 

Size

11.000 sqm

 

Construction

2000 - 2001

 
Photos

Werner Huthmacher, Berlin
Margherita Spiluttini, Vienna
 

Awards

2004  BDA Preis -

Architektur in Brandenburg,

Acknowlegdement

2002  World Architecture Award,

European Finalist

2001  ar+d Award -

The Architectural Review + d line

Client

Stadt Potsdam, Entwicklungsträger Bornstedter Feld

 

Contracting | Property Monitoring

Harms & Partner, Hannover/Berlin

 

Construction Management

Assmann Beraten und Planen, Braunschweig/Potsdam

 

Structural Enineer

Hörnicke Hock Thieroff – Ingenieurgemeinschaft, Berlin

 

Mechanical Engineer

Planungsgruppe M+M, Berlin/Stuttgart

 

Landscape Architect

Büro Kiefer, Berlin

 

Natural Adventure Park

Martin Diekmann Landschaftsarchitektur, Hannover