The realisation of the “Holzmarkt 51” district project in Berlin-Friedrichshain has begun with the official groundbreaking ceremony. Berlinovo Immobilien Gesellschaft mbH and Berliner Bäder-Betriebe were involved. This undertaking is one of the significant inner-city development projects in the capital. An urban district is being created on the former swimming pool site, covering approximately 6,300 square metres, on Holzmarktstraße. This will combine recreational, school and competitive sports with affordable housing and modern working environments.
The core of the project is a new public swimming pool, whose water area will be doubled compared to the original bath. In addition, around 375 apartments for students are planned. Furthermore, there will be publicly accessible open and rooftop areas, as well as a commercial section of approximately 6,100 square metres. This commercial section includes 4,600 square metres of modern office space and 1,500 square metres of retail space, primarily for local neighbourhood businesses on the ground floor. The investment volume for this undertaking amounts to approximately EUR 170 million.
Concept and functions of Holzmarkt 51
The construction project is being implemented by two state-owned companies. It demonstrates how the provision of necessary public infrastructure and new uses can be synergistically combined on limited inner-city areas. Berliner Bäder-Betriebe provides the land, while Berlinovo, as the general contractor, is constructing the swimming pool. This will be the first swimming pool in Berlin to be built with apartments above it. The district enables a noticeable expansion of swimming facilities and contributes to alleviating the housing market. At the same time, it creates a new place for residents of the surrounding city districts.
The new building replaces the previous swimming pool, which had been closed since 2018 and was beyond repair. In the future, two modern 25-metre pools will be available for school, club and recreational swimming. The separation of the water areas allows different user groups to train and swim in parallel, thereby significantly improving the provision for the Berlin population. The project sets new urban development standards with its mix of sport, work and local amenities. Green inner courtyards and publicly accessible rooftop areas complement the usage concept and contribute to a sustainable urban climate.
Project stakeholders and urban relevance
Planning is being carried out by the architectural firm Eller + Eller from Berlin. PORR GmbH & Co. KGaA, Berlin Hochbau branch, has been commissioned with the construction realisation. Hitzler Ingenieure GmbH & Co. KG is responsible for construction project management. The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by prominent figures, including Mayor and Senator for Finance and Senator for Culture and Social Cohesion, Stefan Evers, and Berlin’s State Secretary for Sport, Franziska Becker. Stefan Evers emphasised that Holzmarkt 51 would bring together affordable housing, a new swimming pool and climate-friendly development on a sensibly used site.
Also present were double Olympic champion and multiple world swimming champion, Britta Steffen, as patron for the planned swimming pool, as well as pupils from GutsMuths Primary School with their headteacher Kathrin Herfet-Sternberger. Iris Spranger, Senator for Interior and Sport, stressed that the new swimming pool, with its four modern pools, would double the water area at the site, benefiting schools, clubs and the public. Alf Aleithe, Managing Director of Berlinovo Immobilien Gesellschaft mbH, described Holzmarkt 51 as one of the most exciting urban development projects, creating an urban district that integrates into the neighbourhood and has an impact far beyond its property boundaries.
