Event and background
Under the motto " You shall be a blessing", over 600,000 believers of all Christian denominations gathered in Berlin from May 28 to June 1, 2003 for the 1st Ecumenical Church Congress. This historic event was accompanied by numerous installations that temporarily transformed Berlin into a spiritual meeting place.
The "Himmelstore" project
In collaboration with the engineering firm schlaich bergermann partner, D:4 developed the "Himmelstore" project, which gave the Kirchentag a striking visual identity. A central component of this project was the "halo" on Pariser Platz in front of the Brandenburg Gate, which served as an expression of the Kirchentag motto and an iconic landmark. The temporary installation became one of the most photographed motifs of the entire Kirchentag.
Design and structure
The central "Heaven's Gate" had a diameter of 25 meters and a height of 13 meters and was placed in front of the Brandenburg Gate. The construction consisted of a filigree steel structure supporting a large, orange-colored ring of nylon fabric. This ring was stabilized by an integrated blower and constantly inflated to a cross-section of two metres.
Technical implementation
In order to enable an independent, free-standing construction, the sky gate dispensed with foundations anchored in the ground and was supported by an ingenious technique of six steel supports connected by a compression ring. Four tension cable systems stabilized the structure and provided the necessary strength.
Design and positioning
In addition to the large construction, twelve smaller "sky gates" were distributed throughout the city to mark the central venues of the Kirchentag. These smaller installations consisted of helium-filled membranes with a diameter of six meters that floated freely at a height of 10 to 12 meters.
Architecture and symbolism: sacred elements in public spaces
The architecture of the sky gates was deliberately based on the elementary form of a sacred building, thereby placing the viewer's perception in a new context. The installations created a spiritual presence in the urban space and served as central meeting points for the faithful.
Locations of the Little Gates of Heaven
The floating rings were positioned at symbolic locations in Berlin, including:
- On the west side of the Brandenburg Gate
- On the street Unter den Linden at the intersection with Friedrichstraße
- In front of the Humboldt University
- In the Lustgarten, on Bebelplatz and Schlossplatz
- In front of the Rotes Rathaus, next to the Federal Foreign Office and on the Gendarmenmarkt
- At Anhalter Bahnhof, Breitscheidplatz and Platz der Republik
Resonance and media impact
The Sky Gates quickly became one of the most popular meeting points of the Kirchentag and became a symbol of this special event in the media. The architectural design and the choice of locations enabled a direct connection between the historical significance of Berlin and the spiritual message of the Kirchentag.
