Plans for the International Building Exhibition (IBA) Berlin 2034–2037 are taking shape. The Architects and Engineers Association of Berlin-Brandenburg (AIV) proposes establishing the urban development concept "Stadt statt A104" (City instead of A104) as an official model initiative. The concept, which the association had already prepared jointly with Patzschke Architekten in 2021 and presented to the Berlin House of Representatives in 2022, envisages a comprehensive transformation of the former urban motorway corridor between Autobahnkreuz Wilmersdorf and Schloßstraße.
According to the initiators' calculations, the corridor holds urban development potential for around 600,000 square metres of gross floor area. Approximately 6,000 homes could be realised across this area, complemented by new green corridors, public squares and social infrastructure. Christian Müller, Chairman of the Board of the AIV, emphasised that the IBA offers the capital the opportunity to realign urban development and unlock the potential of existing built environments, rather than planning new neighbourhoods exclusively on greenfield sites.
Specific focus on Breitenbachplatz
A deeper focus of the planning lies on the section between the Schlangenbader Straße motorway overbuild, Breitenbachplatz and Schildhornstraße. A detailed proposal is available for this area with the study "Stadt statt A104 - Breitenbachplatz neu gedacht". This envisions the construction of 800 to 1,000 homes across roughly 75,000 square metres of gross floor area, with the majority intended for the publicly subsidised housing segment.
The demolition of the existing elevated flyover at Breitenbachplatz has already been politically approved. Robert Patzschke, architect and member of the AIV board, underlined that this is not merely a transport infrastructure project, but the urban repair of structures that have been severed for decades. Vibrant streetscapes, neighbourhood connections and sustainable open spaces could emerge across the reclaimed sites.
- —Delivery of around 800 to 1,000 residential units in the Breitenbachplatz sub-area
- —Reduction of soil sealing to 33 per cent alongside an 18 per cent increase in green space
- —Land ownership rests almost entirely in public hands
- —Re-establishment of Breitenbachplatz as a coherent public urban space
Administrative innovations and collaborative processes
Beyond architectural parameters, the AIV envisions that the project should also stimulate administrative innovations. Because the transformation requires the cooperation of various Berlin boroughs, Senate departments and higher-level authorities, the initiative encourages collaborative planning procedures and accelerated permitting processes. Such an approach would offer IBA Berlin the opportunity to develop exemplary solutions that go beyond purely design-led schemes and map out concrete delivery pathways.
