Description

With the construction of the new branch of the DZ-Bank (formerly the DG-Bank) on Pariser Platz, one of the most prominent – and most historically important – places in Berlin, the banking institute returns to its origins. In spite of the rigid design statutes for Pariser Platz, which are based on historical considerations and determine the façade material, the height of the eaves and window proportions, the architect has found a solution in keeping with the times. Storey-height windows and a stone frontage define the width of the rooms while giving the building spaciousness and elegance. The plain façade of Italian sandstone and frameless windows form the prelude to the spectacular counterpoint of the building’s interior. Sculptural forms, typical of Frank O. Gehry, unfold in the atrium, surrounded by a rectangle of spartan façades perforated with the adjacent office windows. Vaulted, net-like glass structures soar throughout the five-storey interior space providing roof and floor structures. The ‘forum,’ carpeted in red, is visible through the glass floor. Two curving walkways lead up to the building’s dramatic high point, the biomorphic conference room panelled with stainless steel plates.

Beyond these orchestrated spaces, bank employees work in various departments, with correspondingly varied areas of responsibility, in offices with a maximum of four workplaces. It is both the corporate structure and the functions, some of which necessitate concentrated work and discretion, which account for the way the office is organised. The departments are divided into four hierarchical levels ranging from departmental head to clerk; top-level positions are represented by the right to a private office.

The offices oriented towards the atrium are supplied with fresh air by the thermally determined pressure differential via permanently open ventilation slits in the window areas. Suspended climate control ceilings and outlets integrated in the floor assure climate conditioning of the rooms in summer and in winter.

The special feature of the new building is demonstrated by the innovative concept of having the bank building accessible to the public in spite of the security requirements usual in that line of business. The tasks and the business of the DZ-Bank, which functions as a form of central bank, extend beyond providing banking services to private individuals. The lack of contact with the gen­eral public is compensated by renting out special rooms in the atrium from time to time. These rooms, which are equipped for conferences, with state-of-the-art digital technology and booths for interpreters, together with the casino, supply a professional venue with commercial appeal for international conferences, conventions and receptions. A television show uses the spectacular rooms as a backdrop for a weekly round of discussions. Architecture becomes an advertising medium through media presence.

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Originally published in: Rainer Hascher, Simone Jeska, Birgit Klauck, Office Buildings: A Design Manual, Birkhäuser, 2002.