Competition to redesign Checkpoint Charlie to start in April

A centre for education and remembrance is to be established at Checkpoint Charlie on Friedrichstraße in Berlin-Kreuzberg. (File photo)

The competition to design an educational and memorial site at Checkpoint Charlie in Kreuzberg is set to begin shortly.

This was announced by the Senate Department for Urban Development, Construction and Housing. The competition will be launched across Europe on 1 April.

Assessments in June and September

Teams specialising in landscape architecture, architecture and exhibition design are invited to submit their ideas. A jury comprising external experts and representatives from the local authority will assess the competition entries in June and September.

Enable a deeper exploration of the history of the place

The future educational and memorial site at the former border crossing from West to East Berlin on Friedrichstraße will be managed by the Berlin Wall Foundation. According to the Senate Administration, the exhibition spaces are intended to convey historical content and create spaces that enable visitors to engage more deeply with the history of the site. 

Hopes for designs with international appeal

Checkpoint Charlie is one of the most internationally renowned historical sites of the Cold War and is considered a major tourist attraction in Berlin. “Its current appearance and use do not do justice to its historical significance,” according to the Senate Administration. “The competition offers the opportunity to develop a high-quality urban space with international appeal.”