Controversy Surrounds Plans for New Saxon State Parliament Building in Historic Dresden

The Saxon state parliament wants to implement the refurbishment of the parliamentary rooms in the former employment office in sections. For this purpose, a new building is to be erected to temporarily house the MPs. In the meantime, a new building with a high-rise was planned on Packhofstraße in the so-called artists’ quarter, but this had to be reduced after massive protests and the objection of the Saxon Monument Preservation. After that, the project was abandoned altogether.

The Gesellschaft Historischer Neumarkt (GHND) takes note that the Saxon state parliament has now shifted its new building ambitions from the artists’ quarter to the most sensitive area in Dresden, the riverside area. The commissioned architect, Prof. Peter Kulka, recently delivered a first preliminary draft. Due to its formally reduced appearance, however, this met with resistance from the Dresden building committee members. Architect Prof. Peter Kulka said: »It is a modest, plain facade. It is an unpretentious building.”

Larger competitions are usually specified for such new construction measures by the Free State of Saxony. This approach is more than justified, especially in the most sensitive area of ​​Dresden’s old town – within sight of the world-famous silhouette.

The GHND calls on the Saxon state parliament, represented by Saxon Real Estate and Construction Management (SIB), to launch an international competition to ensure the highest architectural and urban development quality for this location. She expects that sufficient public participation will be ensured, since this is to be built with tax money from the Saxon taxpayers. In addition, the Saxon State Parliament is the flagship of the Free State of Saxony and has corresponding representational tasks.