A new Berlin with its very own skyline
Something is happening in Berlin. Not just regarding the economic growth but also – and one may be connected to the other – concerning the creation of living space and commercial property. The sky over Berlin remains “unspoilt”, though this is supposed to change fundamentally in the next decades, if things go the way the architects of the “New Skyscraper Era” want. Then Berlin is supposed to transform into a new character and shine with its very own skyline.
A skyline’s flagship
Talking about metropolises with a typical skyline, evokes images of New York, Hong Kong and Tokio, amongst others. In Germany, Frankfurt am Main, with its awe-inspiring skyline, is indisputably the only city which compares with this international standard. And that would have been it, if one should believe the burgeoning media hype. Buzzwords such as “Berlin’s new skyline” come as a surprise at first. Exaggerated reports about a completely new cityscape lead to believe that Berlin is going to move away from it’s typical “Berlin” character, in order to outrank other metropolises. Manifold duplicate posts in blogs and magazines support this impression. However, those who contemplate that partially planned and necessary “construction wish” in Berlin, will quickly recognise what it is actually about. So, first of all, it’s important to differentiate.
So how do we measure a skyline?
This gives the impression that Berlin never had a skyline. According to today’s standards, this may be true. However, the definition of a skyline should also be considered and made. The term skyline means nothing more than the panorama of the city, meaning the partial view with buildings that appear on the horizon. Therefore, Berlin has indeed always had a skyline. The most prominent construction is possibly the Fernsehturm (Berlin’s famous television tower) at Alexanderplatz, which is 368 meters high. Although the Siegessäule (Victory Column) and Brandenburger Tor don’t rank among the highest buildings, they are nevertheless world famous and shape Berlin’s panorama in a distinctive way. Every native of Berlin would refuse to regard their city as one without a skyline. In the sense of a recognisable skyline, even Hanseatic cities such as Hamburg, Bremen and Lübeck should be named, all of which have a world famous skyline.
Higher, further and bigger
These are the attributes that shape today’s society. Perhaps even triggered by the imminent population explosion. We need more living space, communal sites and commercial areas. Where Berlin is concerned, this metropolis has already experienced several architectural changes since the 1920’s, but especially since the fall of the Berlin Wall. The Potsdamer Platz turned into the biggest building site in Europe during its redevelopment in the 90’s, and with its seven skyscrapers, it contributed to Berlin’s new skyline. The unpopular Alexanderplatz has a long planning history and is the only location in Berlin to receive a completely new character. For decades, several skyscrapers with a height of 150 metres were planned, which, however, weren’t all successful in their implementation. Ultimately, two projects made it: the 150 metres high, futuristic “Screwdriver Residential Tower” from the US real estate group Hines, as well as the Skyscraper Tower, also 150 metres high, from the Russian developer Monarch. As is known, Monarch plans further skyscrapers in Berlin.
Just as all other metropolises, Berlin also faces a growing population problem as well as a shortage of building space. Therefore, it’s going to be inevitable that the cityscape and consequently the panorama – or, expressed in a more modern term, the skyline – will change. A number of high-rise buildings around the 100-metre mark have already been erected in Berlin-Westend. Whether Berlin is willing to authorise all planned building projects remains to be seen. One thing is certain: Berlin’s “new skyline” is going to be inevitable.
