In Berlin-Spandau, a former production hall of Siemens Luftfahrtgerätewerke has been repurposed. This heritage-listed, saw-tooth roof hall was transformed into a residential estate, now comprising 142 rental flats and various commercial units. The development is part of the new Havelufer Quartier.
The project was realised on behalf of a joint venture consisting of PATRIZIA SE and KAURI CAB Development Berlin GmbH. Bollinger + Fehlig Architekten were responsible for the planning. The measures led to the creation of a new neighbourhood with flats, commercial units, two access lanes, and communal areas with a village square character.
Preservation of Historic Building Fabric
The original industrial hall was built in the 1940s and is the only surviving industrial hall on the Havelufer Quartier site. Jens Fehlig, Managing Director of Bollinger + Fehlig Architekten, emphasised that the transformation of the Siemens industrial hall demonstrates the combination of historic building fabric with contemporary residential requirements. A large industrial structure has thus been developed into a diverse neighbourhood that still reveals the site's history.
A key challenge of the project lay in integrating a small-scale residential structure into the expansive former factory building. The housing offer ranges from one-room flats to five-room flats. In addition to single-storey units, maisonette flats were also realised to accommodate different household structures and residential needs.
Each residential unit has its own access and is directly accessible from the communal pathways. The façades along the inner access lanes were constructed using timber frame methods and clad with vertical larch wood battens to create a homely atmosphere. The historic exterior walls and the existing steel roof structure were preserved and form the basis for the new use. A new timber roof was installed on the existing structure, its low weight meeting the static requirements of the historic load-bearing framework. The industrial character of the building remains visible from the outside, while the interior is newly structured by the flats, commercial units, and communal access areas.
This repurposing ensures the long-term preservation of a significant testament to Berlin's industrial history and integrates it into a contemporary living and working environment. The Havelufer Quartier itself, located on a former industrial site on the Havel river, is developing into an urban area with approximately 1,700 flats, commercial spaces, day-care centres, and green areas. The entire quarter has already received certification for the DGNB Gold Quarter Certificate.
