The International Congress Center Berlin (ICC Berlin) is one of the city’s great architectural icons. The heritage-protected building has been out of operation since 2014. In 2023, the Berlin House of Representatives approved its revitalization and commissioned the Senatswirtschaftsverwaltung (Senate Department of Economics), specifically the Berliner Immobilienmanagement GmbH (BIM), to conduct a concept development process.
Stiftung Kunstforum Berliner Volksbank participated in the competition as part of a project partnership comprising leading companies and proven experts in the fields of project development, urban planning, architecture, historic preservation, arts and culture management, engineering, and construction, and developed a concrete development concept as well as architectural and urban design proposals during a six-month dialogue phase.
The final concept, submitted in March 2026, was positively evaluated by the jury – the decision-making body responsible for the steering committee for the concept competition decided to follow the jury’s recommendation. With the Berlin Senate’s official award recommendation on June 23, 2026, and the subsequent negotiations for an exclusivity agreement, the revitalization is now a decisive step closer to becoming a reality.
The goal of the project partnership is a careful yet forward-looking revitalization of the ICC. The building’s unique history, architectural power, and spatial qualities are to be respected, preserved, and revitalized through new uses. Guided by the principle of “function follows form,” the ICC will be reimagined based on its existing strengths.
The plan calls for a diverse mix of uses encompassing art, culture, concerts, exhibitions, dining, events, the creative industries, and new work environments. Large halls, foyers, and extraordinary spatial volumes will once again serve as a stage for international events, Berlin’s cultural actors, and public programs. In close partnership with the State of Berlin, solutions will also be developed for temporary alternative venues, cultural anchor uses, and long-term, sustainable usage models.
The ICC will thus not only be a place to experience on event days but is intended to gradually evolve into a neighborhood that is bustling throughout the day. Additional new buildings at Messedamm 9 and 11, new entrances, improved pathways, attractive forecourts, and dining options will create a new destination and connect the building more closely with its surroundings. The result will be a place that generates new cultural and economic momentum and has the potential to once again become an internationally visible hub of the city’s future.
The coming years will be devoted to further clarifying building regulations, financing, historic preservation, and the building’s use and operation. The goal is to lay the groundwork for the ICC’s long-term sustainable development and to gradually reintegrate the building into Berlin’s public life.
For further informations or press requests please contact: ICC BERLIN · BUREAU N
The sustainability declaration for the cultural sector (Nachhaltigkeitsdeklaration für den Kulturbereich), signed by the Stiftung KUNSTFORUM der Berliner Volksbank gGmbH, enables art and cultural institutions, cultural administrations, cultural associations and those involved in culture in all cultural sectors to commit themselves to global climate and sustainability goals, to which we want to adhere.
The Sustainability Declaration substantiates the internationally shared framework of sustainable development in the UN Agenda 2030 and its far-reaching understanding of sustainability for the cultural sector. This includes both the UNESCO agreement to promote and protect the diversity of cultural expressions and the agreement of the Paris climate agreement to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees if possible.
Sundays at the museum! Admission is free on the first Sunday of every month – everyone is welcome and warmly invited. There is a lot to discover at our museums. On Berlin’s Museum Sunday there is something for everyone. We look forward to your visit.
Berlin’s museums are here for everyone. Admission is free on the first Sunday of every month. Museum Sunday is an initiative by the State of Berlin in cooperation with the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media and the State Association of Museums in Berlin. Museum Sunday is an opportunity for Berlin’s museums to get even more people interested in the city’s diverse cultural offerings. Everyone is warmly invited to embark on a voyage of discovery with their friends and families. All are welcome.
Cultural education enriches the development of very young children – it should therefore be a natural part of everyday life. The Netzwerk Frühkindliche Kulturelle Bildung brings together people from a wide range of disciplines throughout Germany who are working together to strengthen and further develop cultural education in early childhood. Initiated by three foundations and 20 experts, the Netzwerk Frühkindliche Kulturelle Bildung is now funded by the Robert Bosch Stiftung. It is supported by the Deutsche Kinder- und Jugendstiftung.
All interested people and institutions are welcome to join the Netzwerk Frühkindliche Kulturelle Bildung. The Stiftung KUNSTFORUM der Berliner Volksbank gGmbH also feels connected to the goals and values of the Netzwerk Frühkindliche Kulturelle Bildung. That is why it is actively involved in the network and supports it by choie.
The Stiftung KUNSTFORUM der Berliner Volksbank gGmbH has signed the Charta der Vielfalt (Diversity Charter) and is committed to it. The Charta der Vielfalt is a voluntary commitment published in 2006 and an association under the patronage of the Federal Chancellor, which advocates a working environment free of prejudice. By signing the Charta der Vielfalt, employers declare that they will create or promote equal opportunities for their employees. The Charta der Vielfalt promotes the recognition, appreciation and inclusion of diversity in the world of work.
The Stiftung KUNSTFORUM der Berliner Volksbank gGmbH is committed to a cosmopolitan, fair and solidary society. It therefore supports the alliance DIE VIELEN and has signed the Berlin Declaration of DIE VIELEN, as well as the SHIELD & SHINE initiative launched in 2023.
Art creates space to change the world
Cultural institutions and those active in art and culture have joined forces regionally or city-wide in declarations and have combined to form a transnational network. The declarations of DIE VIELEN formulate a clear stance towards group-related enmity, right-wing extremism and attacks on artistic freedom. The Berlin Declaration of DIE VIELEN, which was developed and coordinated by a diverse group of activists from the cultural landscape, serves as the basic text for each new declaration.
“Our society is a plural assembly. Many different interests collide and are often found in between. Democracy has to be renegotiated every day – but always under one condition: It’s about everyone, about each and every one of us as the essence of the many possibilities! ”
From the Berlin Declaration of DIE VIELEN.
Solidarity instead of privileges. It’s about everyone. The art remains free!
Stiftung KUNSTFORUM der Berliner Volksbank gGmbH is of course also a member of the Berliner Museumsverband e.V. (Association of Museums in Berlin).
The Association of Museums in Berlin consists of its member museums, the Board of Directors, the specialist and working groups and circles and the office. Together we form a network that works with various partners.
The goals of the Association of Museums in Berlin are mutual advice, support and cooperation between the museums in Berlin. The Association of Museums in Berlin pursues three main areas of work:
Further development of the museological task fields of collecting, preserving, researching, education and presentation/communication: For this purpose, the employees of the Berlin museums are combined in specialist groups of the Association of Museums in Berlin.
Representation of the interests of the museums in Berlin in all areas of cultural policy and cultural administration: This task is performed by the eleven elected board members, the chairman and the managing director.
Networking of the museums and support of internal and visitor-oriented communication.
The Stiftung KUNSTFORUM der Berliner Volksbank gGmbH has been a member of the Deutscher Museumsbund (German Museum Association) for years. The Deutsche Museumsbund e.V. has represented the interests of German museums and their employees since 1917. It connects people, diverse institutions and relevant topics related to museums.
The aims of the museum association are:”With our work, we are committed to high-quality museum work and the promotion of exchange between museum professionals. We want to draw the public’s attention to museum issues and create optimal framework conditions for the museum sector. Our commitment is based on the conviction that museums make an indispensable contribution to shaping a sustainable society.”
The Stiftung KUNSTFORUM der Berliner Volksbank gGmbH is also a member of ICOM Germany and is committed to the mission statement: The International Museum Council (ICOM) is committed to the protection and preservation of movable cultural assets and natural objects. ICOM Germany is the self-organization of museum professionals in Germany and the portal to ICOM, the global network and think tank based in Paris. The focus of his activities is professional advice on all museum issues, the establishment of museum standards as well as research and further education.