Located on the corner of Otto-Braun-Straße, Karl-Marx-Allee and in close vicinity to Alexanderplatz, the Haus der Statistik is of outstanding urban significance. Even its ruins still have a symbolic effect, due not least to the "STOP WARS" graffiti on the building's front facing Alexanderplatz. This façade has been responsible for the fact that the location has increased in importance for being a target of media attention. With its graffiti, the building’s façade has become one of the most photographed urban artifacts on Alexanderplatz.
The design addresses the iconic effect of the building in a determined manner and unfolds a broad spectrum in dealing with existing buildings, from restoration and reconstruction to scale replication of building elements needing to be replaced.
The façade of Block A is to be restored and its effect is to be preserved so that the graffiti "STOP WARS" can take on a similar significance for the building as "BONJOUR TRISTESSE" did for Alvaro Siza's apartment building on Schlesische Straße in Berlin-Kreuzberg. This graffiti stands for the often hopeless and bleak situation quite many migrants had to cope with in the 1980s. The design therefore refers to the situation and perspectives of many refugees today, hence reflecting the globally tense climate, both in political and social terms.