gmp repurpose original terminal building designs

The last flights have finally left Tegel airport in Berlin, paving the way for the site’s planned conversion to a research and industrial park designed by von Gerkan, Marg and Partners Architects (gmp). The same firm also designed the original airport, which was built in 1948 to keep West Berlin supplied during the Soviet blockade. Despite the majority of Berliners voting to keep it open, it was declared unviable and was replaced by the new Brandenburg Airport Willy Brandt, which had numerous delays in construction and was completed ten years overdue on 31st October. The upcoming development at Tegel, called Berlin TXL – the Urban Tech Republic, will research, produce and test technologies to be used in the cities of the future.

As architects of the airport, gmp had a particular interest in developing a vision for its subsequent use. In 2008, Meinhard von Gerkan sketched out the “TXL plus” concept for an energy-efficient city. Later, under the leadership of Stephan Schütz, studies were carried out to investigate various scenarios for the terminal buildings and the adaptation of the energy centre to meet the new requirements of the Urban Tech Republic.

Following last year’s commission, the latest design by gmp transforms the main terminal, entrance hall and tower - listed as historical monuments - into a start-up and innovation centre. The concept combines an energy efficiency upgrade with a room layout that exposes the airport's characteristic triangular structure. With a new glazed front, amongst other measures, the technical upgrade is intended to obtain DGNB Platinum certification. The triangular reinforced concrete skeleton with a ten-meter grid defines the shape of the modular office units, with walls that align with the exposed structural beams. New vertical circulation routes link the building with accessible areas of the former airfield. The inner forecourt, the conceptual core of the “drive-in airport” (Berlin-Tegel), will be remodelled to form a skywalk that links with the former entrances via small bridges.

Lucy Nordberg
TenderStream Head of Research

This tender was first published by TenderStream on 12.08.2019 here

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