The urban quarter AM TACHELES celebrates its topping-out

AM TACHELES, an extraordinary place to live, work, shop, enjoy art and culture in the heart of the German capital celebrates its topping-out today. In addition to the extensively renovated former Kunsthaus Tacheles the new quarter encompasses seven residential high-rises of the utmost quality and three office buildings that will offer tenants modern, sustainable spaces. The current schedule envisages the first buildings being ready for occupancy in the second half of 2022. The completion of the entire quarter is scheduled for mid-2023. With the opening of the Berlin branch of Swedish photography museum “Fotografiska”, the former Kunsthaus Tacheles will once again become a place for culture. Today’s topping-out ceremony is also a way of thanking the roughly 500 construction workers who are at present active on the site every day.

An attractive offering of stores and restaurants will line the public squares and streets of the new quarter and invite people to linger. Moreover, the Aaron-Bernstein-Platz will on completion be one of the largest plazas in Berlin’s Mitte district. The green areas of the urban quarter total some 9,000 m² and no less than about 170 trees will be planted. All the squares and thoroughfares in the quarter will be open to the public and pedestrians only – and night.

Opened originally in 1908 the Friedrichstrassenpassage was a special feature of the Spandauer Vorstadt and once linked the two streets Friedrichstrasse and Oranienburger Strasse. This is the idea taken up by the project development of pwr development on behalf of a real-estate fund associated with Aermont Capital in the guise of the urban planning concept by the renowned architectural office Herzog & de Meuron. It involves giving a fresh interpretation to the historical connection.

Sebastian Klatt, Managing Director of pwr development: “We are creating an architectural highlight in the city, a place with superlative leisure value and a cultural focus that will be a real crowd-magnet, a shopping district with outstanding offerings, a great place to live, and an excellent business location. This constitutes high value-added for the city and the neighbourhood. Very soon local people will be able to stroll through the new quarter and experience its special flair.”

A total of 42,500 m² of rental office space is available in the three extraordinary, prestigious office buildings by Herzog & de Meuron and Grüntuch Ernst Architekten. And several tenants have already rented space.

Around 77 percent of the condominiums – ranging from small apartments to spacious homes over 300 m² in size have already been taken.

In addition, in 2022 REWE will open one of the largest and most modern fresh food supermarkets in Berlin’s Mitte district here – with a footprint of no less than 3,300 m².

Further information on the urban quarter AM TACHELES:

Architects

Characterized by enormous diversity and size this new urban space is being designed by Herzog & de Meuron from Basel together with renowned Berlin architectural practice Grüntuch Ernst Architekten as well as Brandlhuber+Muck Petzet. Acting in a coordinating capacity the Swiss architects ensure that despite the great variety of building typologies ultimately AM TACHELES will form a harmonious, well-balanced ensemble. They are supported by Aukett + Heese as well as RKW + Architektur and Vogt Landschaft for the planning of the outdoor spaces. Herzog & de Meuron are also charged with the respectful and sensitive modernization of the former Kunsthauses Tacheles.

Pierre de Meuron von Herzog & de Meuron: “We are well aware of the history of the site and our concept takes this into consideration. Opened in 1908, the Friedrichstrassenpassage in the former Spandauer Vorstadt provided an important link between Friedrichstrasse and Oranienburger Strasse. This important connection will be restored. In doing so we are reviving a piece of history and breathing new life into an area of Berlin that is not very attractive now. On completion of the project an area that was for decades wasteland will once again become part of the city.”

Construction phases

From 2012-3 onwards, the complex largely went unused. Then in 2014 the investors bought it with the intention of teaming up with renowned architectural practice Herzog & de Meuron to create an urban quarter that would satisfy even the most discerning tastes. A key aspect: the master plan was to be driven by the existing structures and surroundings. The first groundwork began in spring 2016 when the old rubble was removed from the plot and the excavation pit created by the firms Implenia, Stump and Keller. In August 2018, the Köster corporation started structural work in the basement and this was followed by surface work conducted by general contractor Hochtief Infrastructure and work on the apartments themselves by the Hagenauer company. The foundation stone was laid in September 2019. The first buildings are scheduled to be ready for occupancy in the second half of 2022. It is anticipated that the entire quarter will be completed by mid-2023. The project is being financed by project lending from a banking consortium led by DZ HYP as well as Berliner Sparkasse, Deutsche Hypo NORD/LB and Investitionsbank Berlin.