THE NEW PASSAGE

Urban Strategy: An Echo of the Historical Site

The predecessor of the Kunsthaus Tacheles was “Friedrichstraßenpassage”, a department store built in the year 1907-1908, functioning as a shortcut connecting Friedrichstraße and Oranienburgerstraße.From 1989 to 2012, the bombed site was squatted by free spirit artists and used as studios, workshops, nightclub and open air sculpture park.

Based on the specific context, this proposal aims to respond to the double meaning from the historical contexts : an urban connection as the 1907 “Friedrichstraßenpassage” , and meanwhile a common art ground as 1989-2012 Bohemian Tacheles.

Architectural Typology: A Living Canopy + A Common Ground

The total ensemble is composed of seamless truncated hexagonal pyramids of the same size. The New Passage is created out of vertically dividing the ensemble into the upper living canopy and  the ground infrastructural islands. Connected by 8 cores, the canopy part holds hostel rooms and artist studios, while the ground part houses info center, hostel entrances, art exhibitions, bars,restaurants, gym, etc. Housing the sculpture park and the open air exhibitions, The New Passage opens up to Friedrichstraße and Oranienburgerstraße, welcoming citizens and visitors walk through, enjoy the free art as well as the vivid city atmosphere.

A New Type of Hostel: Flexibility of Units and Circulation

For the hostel cluster, two main entrance levels are set up at the height of 22.5 m and 17.5 m, which are separately mainly targeted for private and semi-public use. After checking in at the ground level, guests can reach their units through the 22.5m terrace level. The transitional terrace area connects people from the core to exterior green spaces first before getting to their private sleeping beds, and the internal spiraling circulation allows users  to reach levels above or below . The 17.5m entrance level with direct access from the core, offers common rooms and art workshops as semi-public spaces, establishing a visual connection with the below common ground. This level welcomes back artists who dwelled once in Kunsthaus Tacheles.

The seamless geometric form provides users an ideal spatial flexibility: each level from one truncated hexagonal pyramids can be divided into common or private space, and can be easily joined with other ones to become a continuous communal space or larger sleeping cluster. The sleeping units could be used as single, double, 3 or 6 bed dormitory.

The system of circulation composed of cores, entrance terraces and internal spiraling staircases frees up the possibilities of multiple routes up and down, and creates a playful experience for all the guest and visitors.The new type of hostel becomes a paradise of meeting, connecting, art enjoying and collective living.

Status

Archasm Berlin Bohemian Hostel Competition

Team

Xi Wu, Shiqing Liu, Nan Liu