House of Democracy

Frankfurt am Main 2025

From an urban planning and historical perspective, we consider any construction on Paulsplatz, directly in front of St. Paul’s Church, to be unacceptable. The square together with St. Paul’s Church, the Old Chamber, the Unity Monument and the plane tree grove forms a powerful ensemble of high atmospheric and symbolic density, the quality of which must be preserved.

We therefore propose locating the House of Democracy underground, beneath the Old Chamber and the surface of Paulsplatz. In this way, the project quite literally anchors itself in the foundations of this historic site, while symbolically expressing the idea that democracy forms the very foundation of our society.

The entrance is situated at the southeast corner of the square, where a natural opening exists within the canopy of the plane tree grove. A circular incision creates a generous point of access, leading via a spiral ramp and terraced levels into an accessible atrium. Positioned along the axis of the entrances to St. Paul’s Church and the Treasury, this atrium becomes the central public foyer and a spatial interface between the square and the building.

Additional, strategically placed depressions in front of St. Paul’s Church bring light and air into the underground spaces and subtly reveal their presence within the urban landscape, while leaving the surface of the square largely undisturbed.

Above the atrium, a spiraling, ascending net installation extends as a symbol of openness. This “Network of Democracy” invites people to move, interact, and become part of a shared space—a playful environment for experiencing participation and community, particularly for younger visitors.

In this way, the House of Democracy becomes more than a place of information: it is a space for encounter that connects past, present and future, and encourages active engagement with the idea of democracy.

Concept, Design: Boris Banozic, Adrian Armasescu Fusa

3D-Modeling, Visualization: Adrian Armasescu Fusa