Tempelhofer Feld | Berlin

Siteplan

Since the closure of the airport, Tempelhofer Feld has become one of Berlin’s most popular open spaces, and since 2014 it has been protected by law from large-scale development. At the same time, the city is short of housing, schools and day-care centres. Our entry to the ideas competition shows how both can be reconciled: urgently needed housing and a field that retains its open character.

Rather than building on the field, the design concentrates new development along a clearly defined edge to the south. Along the former taxiway, between the city motorway and the railway line, the “Tempelhof Village” emerges – a residential quarter with around 20,000 homes as well as day-care centres, schools and community facilities. At the same time, the buildings shield the field from motorway and railway noise, making it even quieter. 97 per cent of the area is preserved.

The open space itself is ecologically enhanced: a ring-shaped urban forest, wetlands and biotopes retain rainwater, promote biodiversity and improve the urban climate. Sport and leisure, from kitesurfing to kite flying, keep their place, complemented by shaded quiet zones, nature trails and areas that citizens’ groups maintain and design themselves.

The new quarter is built in timber-hybrid construction to Passive House or KfW efficiency standards, with green roofs and façades and structures designed for disassembly. Photovoltaics and five wind turbines supply it with renewable energy, while a battery storage system in the former airport building balances peak loads. Autonomous electric shuttles on the Great Ring link key points and make the field accessible to all.

Construction phases