Location Site Analysis

The site is close by to a number of public transport routes including the Berlin Ostbahnhof train station which is only a five minute walk away. Just North of the development site, the Franz Mehring Platz is to become a multifunctional town square. Planning permission is in place to landscape the 9,000 Sq. m square in front of the New Germany publishing house which will provide communal space for temporary events such as concerts, summer festivals or art exhibitions, which will increase footfall in the area and make the location a destination for both locals and tourists.

To the South-West of the development site along Wreizener Karree, a new mixed-use development has been proposed consisting of 3 buildings to include office, retail and leisure space. The project will play a role in decisions for further development in the surrounding area.

Site Location Issues

The site is large at 1.7 acres which provides enough space for the storage of materials, vehicles, and plant during redevelopment. Easy access to the site is provided via the three surrounding streets, although as the Strasse Der Pariser Kommune is a main road, the roads to the East and West sides of the site should be used where possible for construction traffic to cause fewer disruptions.

 The site is located in an area of unconfined groundwater and has a geological formation of Glacier Valley Sand. A large pipe can be seen to the front of the property on Strasse Der Pariser Kommune, which is temporarily in place to channel groundwater from the nearby construction site of the Wriezener Karree Commercial Development into the Spree River.
Due to the potentially high levels of flooding from rising groundwater or the nearby rivers, the client is advised to have a specialist ground survey completed. An ecological survey is often required for BREEAM and Code for Sustainable Homes to check biodiversity within the site.

History & Heritage

Historically, Friedrichshain is a former working-class district that was badly damaged by bombing during the Second World War. Because of this, a contamination survey is necessary to check for any materials that may cause harm to human health, surrounding wildlife and plants, contamination of groundwater, subsidence, or damage to the foundations or structure of the building. A non-intrusive Unexploded Ordnance survey may also be required.

 As the six-storey, GDR structure was built in the 1960s, it is possible that asbestos was used during the construction of the building. It is recommended that this be checked internally by a building surveyor and if asbestos is found, plans must be put in place for safe removal and disposal.

 The Aparthotel was most recently home to up to 350 Eastern European families, the last of whom left the property in 2021 due to poor hygienic conditions. However, the property has since been occupied by the homeless community and has been vandalised. In December 2022, many of the rooms on the top floor were set on fire by vandals. Although the fire only burned for around an hour and concrete is fire resistant, a full building survey would be required to see this.

 As many homeless people do still use the building, regular investigations of the site would need to be completed to ensure the structure was safe, secure, and vacant before any construction works begin.

Planning Considerations      

Planning and design must be considered when thinking about the timescale of the overall development process. Although planning permits should take around two years to obtain, for 90% of proposals this is not the case, and many can take us to 5 years. This has been considered within the project time scales with construction not due to begin until April 2027. This also allows time for specialist surveys to be completed on the site.

 The existing building on the site was previously an Apart hotel so a change of land use must be considered in the planning process. The site is within the Legally Binding Land-Use which means that the land-use for the development must be applied for to be changed. However, the property does fall in an area considered suitable for residential development. Surrounding properties in the area are mostly a mix of retail on the ground floor, with office and residential apartments above.

There are already proposed plans for the development site to demolish the existing building and create a mixed-use modern building with office, commercial, and residential space. Although the suggested 60 apartments would provide accommodation for the growing population in the district, the plans have received backlash due to over-gentrification in the area which is forcing those who cannot afford rents in the area to move locations.

 We have therefore proposed a development which offers residential accommodation at more affordable prices to fit the needs of the municipality. Although no specifically affordable/social housing is required at the site, the Alliance for Social Housing and Affordable Rent are methods the joint federal government and states have implemented to try to combat the rising costs of residential property in the area. If the client did wish to include social housing, they may be eligible to apply for Social Housing Subsidies, although this is usually for new build accommodation.

 The EU’s Green Deal commits to a goal of climate neutrality by 2050, with Germany’s Climate Protection Act (KSG) aiming to achieve greenhouse gas neutrality by 2045. Germany is also introducing legislation to require 100 percent renewable energy by 2035 in the production of electricity, a major goal in a country where 43% of electricity still comes from fossil fuels, which has been considered in the development scheme. The German Committee for Structural Concrete (DAfStb) also aims to achieve climate neutrality in concrete construction by 2045.

 Section 172 of the BauGB (Building Code) discusses the social conservation areas within Berlin. The Milieu Protection Area has been put in place to enhance and maintain the physical appearance of buildings from the outside and determine what works can be undertaken internally. There are currently 78 social conservation areas in Berlin that have been defined by district ordinances, which have been put in place to protect the composition of the resident population and avoid the loss of affordable housing. The development site lies just outside the Protection Area. 

Amelia O'Hara (RE)