“Concrete praise,” someone once said about St. Agnes Church. Now known as Sankt-Agnes-Kapelle. It stands as an iconic architectural landmark in Berlin. It is a testament to Brutalist architecture in Germany.
Built between 1964 and 1967, Sankt-Agnes-Kapelle was designed by Werner Düttmann. He was the director of urban development for West Berlin. Düttmann also designed the Akademie der Künste. He designed the Brücke-Museum in Berlin too.
By 2011, the St. Agnes complex had fallen into disrepair. Art dealer Johann König acquired it. He was determined to reinvent the space as an art gallery. In 2015, Brandlhuber+ Emde, Burlon and Riegler Riewe redesigned the building. The restored venue houses a magazine. It also has an architecture bureau, private apartments, a restaurant and artists’ residences. These residences are in the former bell tower. The restoration of Sankt-Agnes-Kapelle won the 2016 Berlin Architecture Prize.
Sankt-Agnes-Kapelle is located on Alexandrinenstraße in Berlin-Kreuzberg. It showcases Brutalist architecture. Massive concrete blocks define it. Exposed surfaces reveal the wood grain textures from their original casts. The church’s 20-meter-high interior is a highlight. It receives abundant natural light through overhead windows. The bell tower integrates seamlessly into the structure. It connects the entrance area, ground floor and gallery space.
In 2012, Johann and Lena König acquired Sankt-Agnes-Kapelle. Architect Arno Brandlhuber respectfully converted the building. This earned him and Sankt-Agnes-Kapelle the Berlin Architecture Prize in 2016. In May 2015, KÖNIG GALERIE moved to Sankt-Agnes-Kapelle. It utilizes the former Chapel and Nave spaces for exhibitions. This move allowed the gallery to use the unique architectural setting.
KÖNIG GALERIE represents over 40 international artists. These artists are emerging and established. The program focuses on interdisciplinary and concept-oriented approaches. It also highlights space-based approaches. These appear in sculpture, video, sound, painting, printmaking, photography and performance. Museum-like exhibitions take place in the former chapel and nave.
Katharina Grosse and Jeppe Hein had exhibitions at the newly renovated Sankt-Agnes-Kapelle. Johann König secured the building for a 120-year lease in 2012. Architect Arno Brandlhuber subtly transformed the brutalist structure.
The rough concrete walls remain as designed by Werner Düttmann. The space now sits above the church’s former floor. It sits on a concrete slab nearly even with the organ balcony. Heating, media hookups, electricity and exhibition walls are situated in this intervention. Raising the floor transitioned the space. It went from a sanctuary to a Kunsthalle.
König originally sought an unusual living space. He thought, “This space is just asking to be used for art.” He and his wife now live in the church’s former rectory. A café, the magazine 032c and an architecture firm also joined. The nonprofit PRAXES Center for Contemporary Art and New York University’s study abroad program are here too. The building’s layout led to its transformation into a cultural hub. A sculpture park will also take shape. It will show pieces by artists from König’s roster.
Shows at Sankt-Agnes-Kapelle are on a grander scale. König wanted to give artists the possibility to do substantial shows. The main gallery has shows every two months. This allows for more ambitious projects. Thanks to the gallery’s raised floor, König has a second exhibition space. Hein’s show will kick off that showroom. It will then rotate artists every four weeks.
Sankt-Agnes-Kapelle sits just 100 meters from Berlin’s official midpoint. As a gallery today, you can either go small or grow much bigger. That is why I got involved in this business. It was to work with artists.