Grenzhafen Berlin
The intervention at Grenzhafen Berlin is carried out in respect for the historical substance of the border harbor and its surroundings as a protected heritage site. The built structures deliberately recede, contextualizing the site as a museum and blending fluidly, both in landscape and urban terms, into the Spree.
The museum takes the form of a historical path along the border pier – a spatial narrative shaped by the site’s historical layers, through which the pier itself becomes the ensemble’s most significant exhibit. To achieve this, a floating pontoon structure is installed along the pier, preserving the substance of the listed building while highlighting its significance. The design proposes a horizontal, continuous path: a layered historical experience in which visitors symbolically pass through the strata of history, memory, and transformation – not as classical knowledge transfer, but as a sensory, interpretive experience. History becomes tangible. The river becomes experiential.
At the end of Eichenstraße, the roof of the main pavilion is accessed via two ramps that resemble landing bridges. This suspended topography offers a public square with views over the Spree, the Osthafen, and the border pier – complete with seating and lounging areas, planted elements, and summer water misting as a contribution to climate resilience. From the square, picturesque sunsets unfold behind the ensemble of the Oberbaumbrücke and the television tower. An integrated bar counter underscores the multifunctional character of the square. The access ramps are barrier-free and allow boats up to 3.50 m in height to pass beneath them.
A representative staircase with wide landings leads from the square down to the pavilion at water level. This staged descent allows visitors to immerse themselves in history and creates distance from the city, so that the contemplative space can be experienced undisturbed. This level houses the reception with access to the outdoor exhibition, the exhibition space with alternative uses, particularly for events, and the cafeteria with an outdoor terrace at Spree level. The proximity to the water and the mirrored ceiling transform the space into an exhibit in itself, where light and reflections become part of the staging. The exhibition unfolds among slender, stele-like supports, offering an intimate, sensory experience in which filtered light, muted water sounds, and framed views create an introspective narrative. The main pavilion also includes office space, a cloakroom, restrooms, and technical areas. An elevator ensures barrier-free access to all levels and allows for separate access to the Grenzhafen Museum on one side and the Inland Navigation Museum and marina on the other.
From the reception area, the historical path continues outward onto a floating pontoon structure that nestles against the historic pier and conveys the historical context through exhibition elements and information panels. The historical path concludes at the smaller memorial pavilion – a floating platform serving as an extended exhibition area that allows for immediate perception of the surroundings and reflection on the historical context of a divided Berlin.
On the west side of the border pier lies the Inland Navigation Museum, featuring eight museum vessels arranged along a long pier within their original harbor setting, serving as mobile exhibition spaces as well as for gastronomy. The Inland Navigation Museum has independent access from land via a ramp on the east façade of the main pavilion. A large floating platform of 500 m², located east of the cross pier, provides access to the Inland Navigation Museum, the marina, and a landing stage for passenger boats, while also serving as a gathering and exhibition space. From there, a 150 m long pontoon extends eastward, ensuring access to the museum vessels and their technical connections.
The marina offers berths for a total of 60 boats, accessed via a 137 m long floating main jetty with five side jetties. A service pavilion at the end of the main jetty includes a reception, cafeteria, restrooms, showers, and a terrace for marina users.
The built structures are constructed as steel frameworks with selective anchoring points in the riverbed; smaller pavilions float on the water’s surface. The exposed steel is protected by a controlled rust patina, which also places the building within the network of memorial sites linked to the Berlin Wall. The pontoons are built as heat-treated timber decking. At night, the pavilion’s large translucent façade and the underlit pier structure give it the appearance of a gently glowing body, mirrored in the Spree and exuding a timeless quality. The Spree, acting as a cold-air corridor, together with the immediate proximity to the water, provides natural cooling. The materials used are selected based on durability and a low ecological footprint; the modular construction allows the building to be easily disassembled.
