The new Citizen and Media Center at the State Parliament of Baden-Württemberg in Stuttgart, Germany, opens to the public on June 24 with an inauguration party. Henning Larsen has designed the center.
At the new center, the agora, a modern interpretation of an antique meeting place, creates both a public convention space and entrance area as well as source of daylight.
The landscape element bears resemblance to an antique amphitheater and leads towards the foyer with welcoming broad steps.
“We have created a building which is barely visible within the listed ensemble consisting of the parliament building, the palace garden and the academy garden“, says Werner Frosch, Managing Director of the Munich office and partner at Henning Larsen Architects.
The glass façade facing the agora and two subterranean courtyards allow daylight to pass into the underground rooms. Only the elevator and railings around the courtyards show above the ground.
This way, the Citizen and Media Center pays tribute to the listed parliament building and merges naturally into the landscape of the academy garden. Furthermore, visitors have the opportunity to learn more about the local political work from the new exhibition.
“In collaboration with the State Parliament’s Visitor Services and brand and the local design agency Echo & Flut, Henning Larsen has developed an interactive multimedia exhibition that matches state-of-the-art educational museum technology”, explains Werner Frosch.
From the foyer, the parliament pressroom and three conference rooms are accessible. Henning Larsen won the competition for the design in 2012. Source and photos, Courtesy of Henning Larsen Architects.