An enormous building that looks like a spaceship and played a crucial role in Germany’s political history has been lying vacant for years now.
With its high architectural style, the Internationales Congress Centrum (ICC) in Berlin is an icon of modern architecture and a milestone in European Congress history.
The building, with its more than 300-meter-long aluminum façade, could accommodate over 20,000 participants in any major event.
It comprises 80 impressive conference rooms, each ranging from seven to 6,000 square metres. The auditorium can accommodate up to 5,000 people, and Hall 2 can accommodate around 4,000 visitors.
However, the building now lies in dust, with its spacious corridors, large rooms, and entry halls vacant and without visitors.
So what exactly happened?
During the Cold War, West Berlin needed a major infrastructure project to enhance its global presence, and that is where ICC was born.
Opened in 1979, Ralf Schüler and Ursulina Schüler-Witte were commissioned to build the centre as a global hub for business, science, and political conferences, reinforcing West Berlin’s status as an international city during the Cold War era.
With its unique design of a spaceship, the centre attracted a lot of attention across the continent. Albert Einstein attended a Funkausstellung there in 1930.
Apart from the outside infrastructure, the building was well-equipped internally as well.
While attending the conferences, participants could talk into a microphone from any seat.
Staircases and foyers impressed with their futuristic elements: geometric Op-Art carpets and an innovative guidance system consisting of red and blue fluorescent tubes.
However, as technology advanced, the building’s infrastructure failed to keep up with it.
The centre hosted its last event in 2014, and since then, the doors of the building have remained closed.
Renovation plans are now in motion, with a focus on preserving its original architecture while repurposing the space into a dynamic venue for art, technology, and cultural exchange.
The Berlin Senate envisions the ICC as a unique “Centre Pompidou Berlin,” blending creativity, innovation, and international collaboration.
The formal procedure to determine its future use is set to progress through 2026, with evaluations of proposals and final decisions expected before the end of the legislative term
Franziska Giffey, Mayor of Berlin & Senator for Economic Affairs, Energy and Public Enterprises said: “The ICC is an iconic part of Berlin, and we aspire to bring it back to life.
“With your ideas and commitment, we aim to turn it into a lively hub where innovation, creativity, and culture can thrive again.
“Berlin’s economy is growing, and we need more places like this on our path to become Europe’s leading centre for innovation.“
