Futurium Berlin

Project description

Like a cloud between the turbulent hustle and bustle of the big city, the facade reflects the sky and the building is embedded in the heart of the government district in Berlin. The “House of the Future” is now located between the Charité Hospital and the Office of the Federal Chancellor, in the centre of the government district. Underfloor systems from OBO Bettermann were installed, ensuring a flexible power supply.

The three-storey Futurium will be open to young and old from the spring of 2019, presenting the world of tomorrow. Downstairs, the so-called “Cave” contains the laboratory. This is where the future can be seen today. Above it, at the heart of the building is the 600-square-metre event level. This is where events are held in an attractive setting, and discussions centring on scientific, political and civil society topics receive international attention and represent the capital. The next level features the “Cloud” where various exhibitions are held on 3,200 square metres,

Everything is interconnected ‒ people, technology and nature, that is the message that the 14,000 square metres of the building wishes to impart. It is intended to allow people to experience life in the future, as well as research and innovation.

General building information

Set into the polished terrazzo floors, heavy-duty floor sockets from OBO Bettermann with floor covering openings keep the floor surface practically intact. The unobtrusive outlets are equipped with sockets and data boxes that can be used for a large number of exhibitors and their mobile technology. The OBO floor sockets are fed by the modern solar system on the roof of the Futurium.

Customer: BAM Deutschland AG is a private partner of the German Institute for Federal Real Estate which implemented the project as the property owner and project developer commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research.

Planning: The Futurium was designed by the Berlin-based architect duo of Christoph Richter and Jan Musikowski, in cooperation with the landscape architects JUCA.

Find out more about the underfloor systems from OBO.

Why did the customer choose OBO products?

This meant that the decision for OBO's underfloor systems was a clear one. This was due, on the one hand, to the successful products, and one the other, to the fact that the focus was not only on functionality and that OBO offers very aesthetic and unobtrusive solutions.

Were special solutions used?

For the bottom and top layer a mastic asphalt terrazzo floor was laid, and in the centre an underlayer of cement-bound screed. In all areas, special solutions from OBO were used.

For the architects, Christoph Richter and Jan Musikowski, it was not only the reliable function of the OBO Bettermann solutions that were the convincing factor, but also the perfect harmony with the different terrazzo floors.

What type of challenges occurred during construction?

During the overall planning, flexibility was of key importance. It is particularly in the central area, the event level, that different scenarios were conceived. At any rate, practically every event here requires mobile technology. The same is true for the exhibition area on the top floor. Changing exhibitions require flexible power supplies, in this case via the floor.