Checkpoint Charlie

Over the years the Checkpoint Charlie has been dominated and shaped by tourism. This sparked a worldwide debate about the future of the former border control and drew attention to its disorganised and unbalanced public space. Due to its central, urban location, its special role as a historical site and the associated high level of visitor interest, it represents a special and, in this form, unique urban component. The planning of Checkpoint Charlie stands and falls with the elaboration of its public space and the adjoining facades. If this space is planned in a user-oriented way and its facades react and open up to this space, it enables a better visitor distribution and the diverse needs of its visitors can be met. The public space is therefore the space where the different uses and user groups meet. It is a transit area, buffer zone and mediator at the same time. It is a place for movement, exchange, information and rest.