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Haus des Rundfunks

The Haus des Rundfunks, in Berlin's Westend district, is the oldest self-contained broadcasting centre in the world. Designed by Hans Poelzig in 1929 after winning an architectural competition, the building has a triangular plan with two curved sides and a straight 150-metre façade clad in ceramic tiles. Inside, three large central broadcasting spaces are shielded from street noise by the office wings surrounding them. Poelzig paid particular attention to acoustics: in the large studio, the chairs were designed to absorb the same amount of sound whether occupied or empty; in the smaller studio, a hundred wall panels could be turned to absorb or reflect sound and achieve different reverberation levels. The building opened on 22 January 1931 as the headquarters of the Reichs-Rundfunk-Gesellschaft, and in 1935 hosted the first regular television service in Germany. After the Second World War it remained in the British sector but was used by the Soviet-controlled Berliner Rundfunk until 1952, and was not handed over to West Berlin until 1956. Today it is home to the regional broadcaster ARD Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (RBB), and its large spaces are occasionally used for concerts.

Things to do at Haus des Rundfunks: 6 missions

• Attend concerts at the Haus des RundfunksThe building's large broadcasting spaces are occasionally used to host concerts.
• See the hundred wall panelsIn the smaller broadcasting hall, a hundred wall panels could be rotated.
• Explore the three large studio complexesThe offices and editorial rooms sit in the outer areas of the building, surrounding the three large studio complexes.
• See the largest broadcasting spaceThe largest broadcasting space is the heart of the building.
• Discover a smaller broadcasting hallBesides the largest broadcasting space, there is a smaller broadcasting hall.
• See the chairs in the large broadcasting spaceThe chairs in the large broadcasting space were designed to have the same acoustic-absorption qualities whether occupied or not.

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