Haus Der Kulturen Der Welt (The Clam)
Hugh Stubbins
Interbau Berlin, Germany
Photography: Oliver Lins
The Haus der Kulturen der Welt (House of World Cultures) is a significant architectural and historical landmark. It was the United States’ contribution to the “INTERBAU” 1957 building exhibition in Berlin, where designs by numerous renowned architects were constructed in the nearby Hansaviertel district. In 1955, Hugh Stubbins began working on a design for a building that would soon become a prominent feature of the post-war Berlin cityscape. Stubbins, a former assistant to Gropius at Harvard, was familiar with Germany.
Seeking to make a statement about the Cold War tensions, Stubbins planned a building that would serve as a symbol and beacon of freedom.The former “Zeltenplatz” square by the River Spree in West Berlin was chosen as the building site. To ensure its visibility from Communist-ruled East Berlin, the Congress Hall was erected on an artificial mound.
At the time, both political systems were engaged in a competitive race, particularly in the realm of architecture. Stubbins described the symbolic value of his architectural design as “completely free.” The roof’s distinctive curves, reminiscent of wings or a clam, seamlessly extend into the interior, creating an open and bright lobby that evokes a sense of boundless freedom. In Stubbins’s view, the design embodied the promise of unrestricted intellectual freedom within the building—a political vision shared by the Benjamin Franklin Foundation, which commissioned it.
