New tree nursery at the Kulturforum

The Kulturforum is becoming greener: the area between art and cultural institutions surounding the Philharmonie Berlin is being given an open-air tree nursery with seating that will invite people to relax, socialise, discuss and participate in the design process.

The artistic and horticultural installation “Baumschule Kulturforum” was created under the artistic direction of Klaus Biesenbach and atelier le balto. Little by little, green islands of young tree groves will populate the stony open space of the Kulturforum. The “Baumschule Kulturforum” aims to sustainably improve the quality of stay in the Kulturforum and enables a new view of a cultural quarter that was once intended as a green extension of the Tiergarten – and could become so again.

The project starts in July 2023 with a small group of young trees on the Piazzetta of the Kulturforum. The selected willows, alders, walnut and cherry trees are city-climate resistant. Their function is not only decorative greenery, but they will also provide shade in an otherwise uncovered area. Events will be held in the context of the installation – and neighbouring institutions are also invited to participate and to use the installation with their own formats. The programme will be available shortly at www.baumschule-kulturforum.de.

The area of the Kulturforum includes the outdoor areas between the Neue Nationalgalerie, the St. Matthäus-Kirche, the Kunstbibliothek, the Kupferstichkabinett, the Gemäldegalerie, the Kunstgewerbemuseum, Philharmonie Berlin and the Staatliches Institut für Musikforschung which houses the Musical Instruments Museum.

Andrea Zietzschmann, general manager of the Berliner Philharmoniker Foundation: “The Kulturforum is becoming greener! We are delighted that with the installation by the artist group atelier le balto, the greening of the open spaces is now taking definite shape and further enhancing the quality of stay for our visitors. This temporary project should now mark the beginning of a permanent greening and active development of the site. Here, institutions from culture and science, which make the Kulturforum an internationally unique meeting place, are pulling together.”

A first push for a permanent “greening” of the Kulturforum was given by the 2022 “Open Gardens” event: The joint action and event day with readings and concerts took place as part of the Kulturprojekte Berlin’s Kultursommerfestival. This year too, on 3 September 2023, “Open Gardens” invites the public to discover the hidden gardens of the Kulturforum.

Open Gardens
3 September 2023, from 12:00
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