A planning team led by architecture firms Richter Musikowski and “ST Raum A” is set to build the planned unified center in Halle (Saale). The jury, chaired by architect Jorunn Ragnarsdottir, selected the winning design from 126 entries, as announced on Wednesday.
The winning design impressed the jury with its “light and yet concise form language, which positions the future center as a strong and identity-creating place in the urban space.” The jury stated that “a unique place requires a unique design.” The current East Germany representative, Carsten Schneider (SPD), agreed, saying that the future center is not only a great opportunity for Saxony-Anhalt but also for Germany as a whole.
Saxony-Anhalt’s Minister President, Reiner Haseloff (CDU), described the future center as a “great opportunity not only for Saxony-Anhalt but for Germany as a whole.” He emphasized that the center should not only examine the transformation in East Germany and Eastern Europe after 1989 but also provide lessons for the future. “How do we want to live in the future? How can we strengthen cohesion in Germany and Europe? What are the trends in science and research in the future and how can we use them? All these questions should be answered from Halle” Haseloff said.
The construction will be funded by the Federal Ministry of Construction and the Federal Government’s East Germany representative will be responsible for the operation and content of the center. The planned building area is 14,000 square meters, with up to 200 workspaces. The federal government will provide approximately 200 million euros for the total construction costs. Construction could begin in 2028 and the completion is planned for 2030.