The proposal for the new home of Berlin’s left-wing newspaper "taz" (die tageszeitung) is based on principles of openness, simplicity, diversity and transparency. With its robust quality, it avoids any iconographic perception and seeks to transport the unconventional spirit of the taz newspaper. The aim is a clearly and well structured building with plenty of room for individual appropriation in order to provide an inspiring working environment for the taz journalists. The conceived building allows for a multitude of spatial changes, and it supplies an open platform for a creative chaos. In addition to that, the relation of the building to the public space, more specifically, to the park located in front, is an essential part of the proposal.
The building itself consists of strictly stacked plateaus that are interconnected by outside stairs, creating wide open spaces due to a compressed core at the backside of the plan. The generous storey heights of average 4,5m provide natural lighting deep within the building. Moving freely on the plateaus and being balanced by a simple slab and column structure, the façade creates high-quality outside spaces on each plateau, such as terraces and circumferential balconies. These additionally allow for a maximum of transparency and openness by which the lively image of the diverse taz-activities is projected into the surrounding neighbourhood. With its linearity, the building finally provides efficient access to the plateaus, while internal shortcuts are made possible by open stairs and bridges within the central atrium.
