“Publix” – House for Journalism and the Public Sphere – forms, together with the neighbouring „Spore Initiative“ a distinct public urban quarter. Located at the seam between the closed perimeter block development and the row of park solitaires along Hermannstraße, it takes on the role of mediator between these two structures.
A “place of meeting” is the guiding idea of the building typology, articulated through differentiated open spaces in combination with the spatial functions. Between the staggered volumes of the two buildings, the public street space widens. Resembling a forecourt, a special space for action emerges, which forms the shared address of the two institutions. The historic cemetery portal is integrated into the open space concept and sits as a natural fitting piece between the two buildings.
The rough board-formed, monolithic concrete façade and the stepped building volume position themselves confidently within the urban space and convey a resilient, almost fortified character. The interplay of transparency and solidity reflects the ambivalence of the house. The generous glazing on the ground floor visually and invitingly connects the urban space with the park at the rear, conveying transparency and openness. At the same time, the building is also meant to offer journalists and civil society organizations, who work with sensitive information and vulnerable people, a safe space for their work.
Through the seamless interweaving of the ground-level exterior and interior spaces, the building lives up to its aspiration of giving the public low-threshold access to a unique place for journalism, the exchange of opinions, and the preservation of democracy. The ground floor, as an open spatial continuum, functions like a forum, activated by interflowing spatial functions such as reception, canteen, studiobox, conference room, and audio-video studios. It provides room for events, spontaneous recordings, and settings. A place for communication and interaction emerges between the journalists and organizations in the building, the neighbourhood, and the general public. Mobile and foldable wall elements allow the forum’s floor area to be changed and used flexibly. A seating staircase, crafted in the manner of traditional carpentry from solid Douglas fir planks from local forests, marks the heart of the forum. It serves equally as a podium and as a grandstand, offering space for lingering, researching, and exchange.
The interior material composition of galvanized metal, exposed concrete, and Douglas fir wood, along with visible installations, deliberately evokes the image of a journalistic workshop and distinguishes the building from a classic office building. The building’s concept makes the fullest use of the added value of shared use of ancillary areas and the optimization of circulation zones. Only one secure stairwell, communal sanitary facilities allocated floor by floor, kitchenettes, and technical areas enable effective and sustainable use of space.
