Cathedral St. Hedwig

Neugestaltung des Innenraums und des liturgischen Konzepts

After elevation to cathedral status, redesign by Clemens Holzmeister, 1935

Introduction of a longitudinal axis in the central space.

Image: Image archive of the art commissioners

After massive war damage, reconstruction of the historic façades and redesign of the interior by Kurt Schwitters, whereby the central space concept was implemented again and the church space was spatially connected with a lower church.

Image: Berlin State Monuments Office, Wolfgang Bittner

“You wrap yourself in light like a dress,
You stretch out the heavens like a tent

(Psalm 104|2 Song of praise to the Creator)

Interpretation of the liturgical concepts of Rudolf Schwarz (“Vom Bau der Kirche”).

The congregation around the altar in the “holy ring” opens up to the “holy departure”, gives direction to the undirected space, becomes a “chalice” in the elevation, freezes upwards to the central skylight.
The opening upwards to the light and downwards to the baptistery spatializes the cross shape and interprets the existing
vertical liturgical concept by Kurt Schwitters.

The external appearance of St. Hedwig’s Cathedral remains largely unchanged. The original lantern will be interpreted in a contemporary way, carrying the liturgical concept to the outside and increasing its urban presence. A new barrier-free entrance in the main axis at Bebelplatz improves accessibility. The result is equal access for all. In terms of urban planning architecture, Hedwig’s Cathedral occupies a special position due to its rotation from the orthogonal grid. The design concept follows the design feature of the rotation and turns the interior to the east. The ellipsoidal spatial structure mediates “between centrality and longitudinality, between communio and believed orientation towards what is to come” (Albert Gerhards). The ellipsoidal shell forms a circle in the dome. The ring of metal elements symbolizes the gathering of the faithful, who together form a living church.
The spatial shell opens up with large doors at the main entrance. Its shape forms the new gallery for the choir and orchestra and provides generous access to the lower church. Between the existing and the new spatial shell, there is a walkway for different procession options with a harmonious spatial effect for different celebrations. The congregation gathers in a ring around the altar area. There is space for special celebrations next to the altar island. The spatial vertical of the new lantern in the dome symbolizes the connection between heaven and earth, from baptism via the altar to God. The baptistery is positioned in the middle of the lower church and is connected to the upper church via a small central glass opening. The current upper sacristy will become a place for the tabernacle and personal veneration of the saints. This creates a private space away from the streams of visitors with confession facilities. The lower church receives sacred light by opening the altar niches of the side chapels upwards into the main room and thus communicates with it. Additional lighting supports the concept. The lower altar is connected to the main altar via the opening under the mensa. The baptismal font is located in the center as a reminiscence of baptisteries and is connected to the main room and the skylight opening of the dome via an opening in the ceiling. Sacristies for priests and altar servers and rooms for the choir are located in the new underground area between the cathedral and Bernhard Lichtenberg House.
The existing works of art will be largely preserved and repositioned. The baptismal font and tabernacle will be retained. The ambo and altar will be redesigned using rock salt. (“I am salt of the earth and light of the world (Mt.5:13,14)”) The room bowl is made of U-shaped bent technical bronze “Ampco18”. In the area of the altar, the individual elements open up so that the density of the structure avoids glare behind the altar. In the altar area, the structure is worked on the inside by an artist. The existing organ will be renovated and the pipes repositioned. The existing interior facade will be renovated in accordance with the preservation order and will be retained. The room shell is a reversible intervention that accepts Schwippert’s interior design. The existing building shimmers through the spaces between the room shells. The new design and the existing building become blurred in perception and form a new unit. The vertical liturgical concept is accepted and reinterpreted.

FACTS

competition 2014

EU-wide open, 2-phase

address:

Bebelplatz
10117 Berlin

 

project team:

Susanne Veit-Aschenbrenner
Oliver Aschenbrenner
Pawel Zabczynski
Stefania Toso

awarding authority:

Erzbistum Berlin