"You have to think big"

Norman Foster in conversation with Berlin cultural managers and urban developers

He is perhaps the most renowned representative of his field and has left his mark all over the world. With the Reichstag building and its dome, Berlin owes him one of the city's most visited landmarks and an identity-forming symbol of the Berlin Republic. At the 9th Capital City Culture Talk, the architect Norman Foster discussed with high-ranking cultural managers and urban developers in the James Simon Gallery on Museum Island.

The evening focused on the key question of what architectural characteristics places of culture must have in order to develop into focal points of urban life. After a welcoming address by VBKI Managing Director Ute Weiland, the British master builder explained with great enthusiasm in his keynote speech how the design of public spaces can help to create connections and bring people together. In front of an audience of around 200, he presented his own projects that have set a precedent in terms of modern urban development: These included the redesign of Trafalgar Square and the British Museum in London. He impressively demonstrated how architecture can make a significant contribution to opening up spaces, breaking down barriers, creating permeability, establishing connections and promoting dialog between old and new, between outside and inside. It is always about giving the city back to the people.

In the subsequent discussion, moderated by Prof. Dr. Stephan Frucht, the new Chairman of the VBKI Cultural Committee, the 88-year-old expressed his commitment to the concept of "master planning". Even if it runs counter to current architectural trends, he called on people not to get lost in the minutiae. The opposite is true: "You have to think big!"