You encounter them every day: a lone sapling at Hackescher Markt, a classic avenue of birches in Brandenburg. Or perhaps a nursery full of green? Yes, trees are everywhere. But still, I was surprised when I came to the Kulturforum and saw several groves of trees in large planters breaking up the usual scenery. The otherwise deserted square between St. Matthäus Church, the Gemäldegalerie and the Philharmonie felt almost inviting. Flowering ashes, rowan, hop hornbeam, robinia, resista elms, aspen, walnut and amber. All these species form a light, shady roof. Underneath, a pergola planted with vines provides an opportunity for a short break, picnic or afternoon nap. Only professionals could be behind this gorgeously leafy installation.
And so it is: the nursery was created by the folks from Atelier Le Balto (designers of the Garten in den Kunstwerken) and landscape architect, artist and curator Fanny Brandauer, who joined forces at the invitation of Klaus Biesenbach, director of the Neue Nationalgalerie and the St. Matthäus-Stiftung. Their project is known as the Baumschule Kulturforum, which is set to bloom until the end of 2024. Two more locations in the immediate vicinity – at Sharounplatz and Matthäikirchplatz – will be added. Accompanying it is a diverse program of guided tours, children’s workshops and festivals. Besides being a habitat for animals and plants, the site is a place for people to meet and spend time together. Then there’s the view, which extends from Tiergarten to the Neue Nationalgalerie. The visit left me with some questions: given today’s climate challenges, do we really need drab paved plazas? Why don’t we value our surroundings – and nature – more? Thanks to projects like Baumschule Kulturforum, I’m hopeful that things will change.
Text: Milena Kalojanov / Fotos: Fanny Brandauer
Baumschule Kulturforum, Matthäikirchplatz, 10785 Berlin–Tiergarten; map
The Kulturforum nursery is open daily and will remain at its current location until the end of 2024. A daily log documents the growth and development of the site.
Guided tours with Fanny Brandauer will take place on Aug. 26 and Sept. 14, 2023 18–19h30.
The guided tour with Atelier Le Balto will take place on 03.09.2023 16–17h. Find more info here.
@stiftung_st.matthaeus
