Futurium Key Handover Ceremony in Retrospective

After two years of construction, starting in 2015, the Futurium building in Berlin’s Government District has now been completed. The keys to the Futurium were ceremonially handed over on 13 September 2017.

Director Dr Stefan Brandt opened the event by welcoming guests and presented his vision for the Futurium as stage, museum, laboratory and forum of the future. Then it was German Federal Minister, Prof. Dr Johanna Wanka’s turn to speak; she emphasised the interdisciplinary and participative aspect of the Futurium. Dr Jürgen Gehb, Board Spokesman of the Institute for Federal Real Estate (BImA) expressed his excitement at being involved in the creation of such an architecturally unique building. After that, the building’s keys were symbolically handed over to Director Dr Stefan Brandt and Commercial Managing Director Nicole Schneider by the Institute for Federal Real Estate (BImA), represented by its Board Spokesman, in the presence of Johanna Wanka and State Secretary Cornelia Quennet-Thielen, the Chairwoman of the Futurium’s Supervisory Board. Finally, Jan Musikowski, one of the building’s architects, looked back on the Futurium’s earliest days in a moving speech.

The STEGREIF.orchester Berlin provided the musical backdrop, improvising on classical pieces between the speeches. Its performances, which moved through the space, created a positive connection between the audience, speakers and the event’s festive character.

Afterwards, many of the invited guests joined the guided tours of the building, taking the opportunity for a closer look.

Photograph: Ali Ghandtschi