Year:
2025
Location:
Berlin, Germany
Service phase:
Concept
Function:
Mix-Use Towers: Social housing, Hotel, Offices
Area:
ca.500.000m²
Team:
Christoph Langhof, Kyrylo Sledz
12 Wohntürme für Tempelhof
Between History and Future
Twelve Towers for Tempelhof creates a bold dialogue between Berlin’s monumental past and its sustainable future. Twelve residential towers rise along the city-facing side of the former airport, carefully positioned so as not to intrude into the vast open field that defines Tempelhof’s identity.
Together, they form a new urban ring that introduces up to 5,000 new homes, cultural spaces, and landscaped courtyards. These additions transform Tempelhof into a vibrant metropolitan quarter while preserving the symbolic vastness of the airfield and the iconic horizontality of the terminal. The project reimagines Tempelhof not as a static relic, but as a living monument that evolves with the needs of the city.
Heritage as Future Engine
Rather than freezing the airport in time, the project sees heritage as a catalyst for renewal. Tempelhof’s architectural scale and historic presence remain visible, but their meaning is reinterpreted through new programs and urban life.
The towers frame the terminal, creating a powerful architectural dialogue between the past and the future. Beneath the monumental roof, new public uses such as cultural facilities, sports halls, and educational spaces take shape—lightweight and modular in timber construction. This balance of preservation and transformation ensures that Tempelhof continues to be a place of memory, identity, and progress for Berlin.
Urban Ensemble & Social Diversity
The project envisions a diverse and inclusive community. The towers accommodate a wide range of housing typologies: affordable rental units, student apartments, senior residences, co-living, and family homes. Together with shared gardens, pocket parks, and cultural venues, these typologies create a dynamic and socially rich neighborhood.
The historic hangars remain untouched but gain renewed relevance through their integration with public spaces. Schools, community centers, and cultural functions ensure that Tempelhof becomes not only a place to live, but also a hub of exchange and collective identity. By combining housing, culture, and green infrastructure, the project transforms Tempelhof into a true urban landscape for the 21st century.
