German Chancellery

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The Chancellery is the office of the Federal Chancellor. The modern building in Berlin's government district is part of the ensemble of government buildings on the banks of the Spree River.

Das Bundeskanzleramt ist das Büro der Bundeskanzlerin oder des Bundeskanzlers. Das moderne Gebäude im Regierungsviertel ist Teil des sogenannten Band des Bundes, dem Gebäudeensemble mit Regierungsbauten am Spreebogen.

North of the Reichstag, the so-called "Federal Ribbon" stretches along the bansk of the Spree. From west to east, it comprises the Chancellor's Park on the right bank of the Spree, the Chancellery, the Paul-Löbe-Haus with offices for the parliamentarians, and - again on the right bank of the river - the Marie-Elisabeth-Lüders-Haus, which houses, among other things, the parliamentary library.

Plans for the Federal Ribbon

The master plan for the Federal Ribbon by Berlin architects Axel Schultes and Charlotte Frank was widely hailed as a stroke of genius. No other competition proposal focused so radically on a reorganization of this area, which had been largely destroyed during the war. The Chancellery building and its placement has a symbolic character: As the chancellor's office and the government's headquarters, it does not compete architecturally with the seat of parliament and is integrated into the ribbon of federal buildings. Sadly, the only part of the building that was intended for the public fell victim to austerity measures: the "forum" between the Chancellery and the Löbe Building, which was not further defined in the development plan. Thus, the Federal Ribbon is now split in its center and the Chancellery stands lonely in the landscape like a large concrete sculpture - as it was never planned.

Architecture of the Chancellery

Between and above two five-story administrative tracts rises the 36-meter-high "government building" (Leitungsgebäude) which houses the offices of the chancellor and his ministers of state, the cabinet room, and several conference rooms. To the north and south, a large arch is cut into each of the bare walls; to the east (towards the main entrance) and west, the outer walls are broken up into large expanses of glass spanning between high concrete stelae. This gives the large building an astonishing transparency and lightness. The two side wings, whose floor plans resemble a comb, have a completely different effect. The offices are grouped around atriums that are completely glazed, making the long side walls with their alternation of windowless concrete walls and large glass surfaces appear compact and defiant.

Paul-Löbe-Haus

The Paul-Löbe-Haus or Löbehaus, designed by Munich architect Stephan Braunfels, appears monumental and yet more filigree. The building is connected to the Chancellery and the Lüdershaus is created by cantilevered canopies that stand on slender concrete columns. On both sides of an atrium that runs the entire length of the building, the offices are also arranged in a comb shape - but at greater depth. The atriums remain open and are integrated into the overall building by a continuous roof structure. The meeting rooms are housed in round glass wings.

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