Sophia Trumpp

The listed Wasserkirche and adjacent Helmhaus seem to act as silent remnants of a glorious past. However, a careful study of the history of both buildings reveals a much more turbulent past than its current complacency suggests at first sight. This master thesis uncovers how the current architecture is in fact a strategic restaging of a carefully chosen part of its history, evoking questions such as: how authentic are the buildings we list? Which historical narratives and objectives do they serve? In this master thesis, this ‘staged’ historicity is put forward as an opportunity to open up for new spatial engagements with listed sites. Liberated from the absolute idea of the ‘original’, the proposed design engages freely with the multiple temporalities and histories of the Wasserkirche and the Helmhaus, adding new layers that remobilise the use of both buildings and generate new nostalgic sensitivities. Its listed status allows thermal conditions in which visitors move between cold and warm spaces, further amplifying the architecture’s experiential qualities.