Danish architecture office ADEPT has won an international competition to design a museum in Berlin. ADEPT's new museum building will be built at a site in Mitte, a neglected neighborhood of Berlin was left abandoned for more than 20 years. 

The protected site, known as ‘Marinehaus' and originally a union club for naval officers, will be envisioned as a central part of the vision of the Berlin City Museum to establish a cultural cluster, is to be resurrected as a new museum typology. With a strong house-in-house concept, ADEPT has won the international competition ahead of 20 invited competitors.

The transformation of a 7,800-square-metre protected building is part of the future strategy for Stadtmuseum Berlin, that includes a new type of museum - a creative and cultural pivot that anchors the museum in the everyday life of the neighborhood through exhibitions, workshops and as a community center for the locals.

Marinehause, existing building

ADEPT’s winning proposal shows how a simple house-in-house concept can create synergy between the new community functions and the historical frame, already integrated in the urban context. The existing floors are removed and replaced by a new interior wooden structure, allowing visual connections between floors and a warm inclusive identity to the project.

Marinehaus: concept house-in-house

The director of Stadtmuseum Berlin, Paul Spies, praised the winning proposal for its way to create an open and inviting contribution to public life in the city, embracing both everyday life and cultural communities. At the same time, the winning proposal underlines the vision of an innovative urban laboratory focusing on the many aspects of Berlin as a city.

Facade: The existing building is transformed in respect of its heritage

"We are extremely proud and happy to have won 1st prize in the competition for such an amazing public initiative. Our proposal embraces both building and urban vision: a new flexible interior structure that creates spaces for both cultural activities and the local community, and at the same time a respectful transformation of the protected building," said Martin Krogh, partner in ADEPT.

Construction work is expected to begin in 2022. The project has a budget of 17.6 mil Euro.

Ground floor plan

First floor plan

Second floor plan

Third floor plan

Fourth floor plan

Project facts

Project name: Marinehaus

Location: Berlin, DE

Year: 2018 - 2025 

Size: 7.800 m2

Team: ADEPT

Client: Stiftung Stadmuseum Berlin

All images © ADEPT

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