- Sketch by Renzo Piano
On the basis of the urban-development competition the investor Daimler-Benz, started an architectural competition in March 1992 for its own piece of land. In consultation with the Berlin Senate, which was a member of the award jury with equal voting rights, seven foreign and seven German teams of architects were invited to submit their proposals. It was agreed to invite only internationally renowned architects with proven experience of urban planning. The decision was made with 20 votes to 1 in favor of the draft by the planning consortium of Renzo Piano and Christoph Kohlbecker.
- Winning entry by Renzo Piano 1992
One of the key advantages of this draft was seen to be its convincing solution for the visual link between the area and the nearby Kulturforum, as well as the inclusion of water surfaces in the development. The Piano draft called for the center of the area to be placed where Alte Potsdamer Strasse ends in a cul-de-sac below the powerful and almost repellent eastern facade of the State Library: All around Marlene-Dietrich-Platz, which was referred to as the piazza during the planning phase, Piano grouped the buildings with the most public nature: hotel, theater, casino, restaurants, retail outlets and Imax theater. The piazza was conceived as an ensemble of independent buildings. The theater and casino can be regarded as a new eastern side placed in front of the library; the large, shared canopy encloses the piazza like a foyer. A direct eastern entrance to the library is located in the line of vision to Potsdamer Platz.
