The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is located in the governmental area of Berlin, where numerous ministries and institutions find place. Cumulatively, they assemble a sequential quality: Lining up between the central (public and long-distance) railway and the bend of the river Spree, the buildings constitute an half-open facade where recesses in the built structures establish a visual connection between the urban realm and the inner structures of the housing.

Embracing the existing condition, our design for the outdoor facilities of BMBF composed lush green vegetation patterns for the two patios with two central aims: First, to constitute an appealing garden for the ministry’s staff and secondly, to use the picturesque quality of the landscapes for the creation of a lived image — a sort of “Kaiserpanorama“ resembling a sequential flip book, that becomes visible for the passengers of the trains. Similar to a vitrine, the recesses in the buildings show a variety of plant species with strong visual quality.

Flowers, shrubs and bushes who are arranged on a pixel-like grid of natural stone paving form thematic islands which are further accentuated by defined seating-areas and terraces as pergolas. Multi-stemmed gingko trees that transition year-round, from green to bright yellow to vibrant orange, form a lively counterpart that emerges against the background of the cohesive building and confront its rational character with a sensual atmosphere. As they integrate two perspectives, the outside spaces lastingly anchor the ministry in the  surrounding urban life.