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The Site - Mollstrasse 4
Anna Russell
The development site is located on the corner of Mollstrasse and Otto-Braun-Strasse in the Mitte district. Mollstrasse borders both Kreuzberg-Friedrichshain and Pankow and is immediately adjacent to the sub-districts of Prenzlauer Berg (part of Pankow) and Friedrichshain. It benefits from good public transport links, with a tram stop directly outside, and is a short walk from Alexanderplatz, with connections on the U and S-Bahn. Mollstrasse forms part of the Bundesstrasse 2, a federal highway which connects Berlin to the Austrian border in southern Bavaria.
The surrounding area is a transitional zone, with a mix of commercial and residential uses. Surrounding apartment blocks have been modernised and refurbished to varying degrees, and there are several hotels nearby. Mercedes-Benz Bank has a prominent position opposite, and there is also a Vietnamese restaurant on the ground floor of the Ibis Budget hotel. Architecturally, there are several new buildings, as well as predominantly modernist East German apartment buildings that are constructed primarily of concrete.
The building is a similar height to other surrounding apartment and hotel buildings of approximately the same age (8-10 storeys). The newer, modern buildings, such as the Mercedes-Benz Bank, are higher at around 20 storeys. While we are aware that the client wishes to explore the possibility of adding more floorspace and increasing the area, the structural strength of the building may limit the ability to do this.
Site History
The existing building was originally an apartment block built in the 1960s or 1970s. The apartments were later repurposed as a hotel after German reunification in 1990. The Mercure chain operated there until 2019. The building is currently unoccupied.
The site is owned by a Hamburg-based investor. Kara (2023) notes that the owner's plan is to demolish the building and redevelop it as an office building. The local government opposes this on grounds of housing need in the area, wishing it to be turned back into apartments. The State Office for Monument Preservation (Landesamt für Denkmalspflege) also objects to the owner's plan because the site lies in the vicinity of the Hansaviertel/Karl-Marx-Allee area, which is currently in the process of being classed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site (Kara, 2023).
The client should be aware that Berlin contains a significant amount of unexploded ordnance from the Second World War, in addition to underground bunkers that date from WW2 to the Cold War. Construction costs may rise if any of these risks are encountered or disturbed. It should also be factored into contingency planning.
The site has a low risk of contamination, as its previous known uses were not industrial. Information on the site dating before its construction is difficult to access, so again this should be included in any contingency planning.
Planning Considerations
Berlin Planning Procedure
Takes private and public needs into account
Involves participation from the public
There may be a public hearing in which objections to the proposed development will be heard and discussed
Objections must have reasoning behind them. They are usually only accepted if the complainant can prove the proposal contravenes legal protections or regulations.
The local planning authority holds responsibility for conflict resolution between the affected parties
Conditions may be attached to planning approval
The final decision is made by the local planning approval authority and decisions will be published publicly, as well as details sent to individual complainants
Adapted from Berlin.de (n.d.).
Building use plan - West Berlin
This does not apply as the site is located in the former East Berlin.
Preparatory land-use plan
This plan shows current land use and also corresponds to the city government's anticipated need for the given area. Our site is designated as a mixed-use area.
Legally binding land-use plan
This shows the current planning approvals in the area and what stage of development they have reached. Our site is covered by the plan 1-70b. The original plan 1-70 covered our site and the adjacent Haus der Statistik site. In 2012, the plan was separated into 1-70a and 1-70b by the Bezirksamt Mitte. Plan 1-105 has appeared since. This plan, along with 1-70a, have been approved and construction has started on the redevelopment of that site. It would appear that 1-70b is no longer an official part of the Haus der Statistik scheme.
Gaining approval
Generally speaking, development projects in built up areas have an increased chance of approval if they can meet the following criteria:
The building proposal complements features of its immediate surroundings (in terms of type of use, scale of use, the plot area to be built on)
There is good access to public infrastructure
The requirements of healthy living and working conditions are met
The overall appearance of the surrounding area is not negatively impacted
This project meets these requirements in the following ways:
Type/uses
Residential - in keeping with original building use, aligns with the local government’s intentions for the site
Retail - supermarket; demand guaranteed in a residential area, provides residents with amenities
Scale
10 floors total, scale the same as original building
Public transport infrastructure
Tram stop at Mollstrasse/Otto-Braun-Strasse (lines M4, M5, M6 & M8)
Short walk to S + U Bahn stations at Alexanderplatz
Plot area
Street side
Healthy living and working
Will not disturb other nearby residential buildings
Focus on sustainability and improving energy efficiency
Overall appearance
Renovation and improvement of the existing building
Modern and attractive
Retains similarities to original exterior architectural style
Above section adapted from PowerPoint presentation by Piesker (2023).
House der Statistik redevelopment
The site lies adjacent to the Haus der Statistik, which is a major redevelopment project involving the city's government. The project has been in development for several years and lies on the site of a former East German government facility. When completed, the site will be host to local authority offices, a customer service centre for local government, on-site childcare facilities and a significant amount of residential apartments, some of which will be subsidised. The aim of our proposed project is to align with and complement this scheme.
Scan the QR code to view a graphic of how the Haus der Statistik scheme will be used. The Mollstrasse site is the grey building in the top right of the image.
Image credit: Teleinternetcafe/Treibhaus (2021)
MOOR CONSTRUCTS
Moor Construction is a Building and Civil Engineering Construction Company based in Sheffield, United Kingdom that specializes in Building, Civil Engineering and project management.
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