Upside Berlin

On the site once occupied by Berlin’s Schlesischer Bahnhof, a new, as yet fragmented district has begun to spring up around the recently built O2-World stadium. Two residential tower blocks to the west of the stadium are to be completed by 2016. In compliance with the urban master plan passed in 2002, the buildings will have a gross floor area of approx. 60,000 square metres including the base structures from which the towers rise. The towers are 86 and 95 metres tall, respectively, while the base structures are seven storeys high. The buildings outline two new squares on their south and west. The towers’ panorama facades provide stunning views of the city. Balancing the upward thrust of the towers, they have a strong horizontal emphasis that also extends to the base structures, although the latter have less extensive glazing. The formal idiom clearly references Berlin’s early modernist style, combining urban façades with a modern sense of form. The complex structure derives its homogenity from its stone surfaces. The two blocks and towers comprise 420 apartments, offices, shops, and serviced apartments.