Greening of Berlin's historic heart

Berlin, Berlin (FUA), Germany

City population: 4186143

Duration: 2024 – 2030

Implementation status: Ongoing

Scale: Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level

Project area: 5000 m²

Type of area: Roads / Roadsides, Public Greenspace Area

Last updated: November 2024

Located between the Rotes Rathaus, Karl-Liebknecht-Straße, Nikolai Quarter, Spreeufer and the television tower, the old founding centre of Berlin is one of the capital's most important urban open spaces. This open space between the TV tower and the Spree is being redesigned on the basis of an international open space planning competition and many years of public participation. With further development, this touristically significant location in the historic centre of Berlin will undergo a climate-resilient redesign and upgrade with great design and functional quality. (Ref. 1) The listed areas of the Rathausforum and the Marx-Engels-Forum will in future be connected to form a continuous ribbon of open space that runs from Alexanderplatz to the Spree. Central areas will be unsealed and green spaces will be created that can be used in a variety of ways, which will also be attractive places to spend time and improve the microclimate. Trees and shrubs will be planted on already existing and new green areas. The aim is to respectfully consider the numerous visible and hidden historical references and at the same time transform the site into a sustainable urban open space that combines a high quality of recreation, sustainability and culture. Next to plants, a new rainwater management system is being implemented that stores rainwater and uses the created green spaces to evaporate water. Playgrounds and a water fountain are further additions to a new recreational area. (Ref. 3; Ref. 4; Ref. 5) The project is characterized by a years-long participation process. Around 10.000 citizens participated in feedback rounds, workshops, dialogues, and information sessions in which they could voice they wishes and ideas for the area. The project is implemented and organized by the state-owned company Grün Berlin, which engage with various stakeholders since 2015. Preparations for the construction start in late 2024 and the project is expected to be finished in 2030. (Ref. 5; Ref. 9)

New greenery and playgrounds will characterize the central area

Envisioned green development of the central space

Grün Berlin GmbH

Overview

Nature-based solution

Grey infrastructure featuring greens
Alley or street trees and other street vegetation
Parks and urban forests
Pocket parks/neighbourhood green spaces

Key challenges

Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
Climate change adaptation
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Green space creation and/or management
Regeneration, land-use and urban development
Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development
Water management (SDG 6)
Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
Protection of historic and cultural landscape/infrastructure
Health and well-being (SDG 3)
Creation of opportunities for recreation
Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
Inclusive governance
Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
Social justice and equity

Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)

Climate-Related Hazards
Urban flooding (stormwater)
Heat stress & Extreme temperatures
Health, Well-being and Social cohesion
Inadequate access to recreational opportunities

Key priorities

Climate action (adaptation and/or mitigation), Social Justice and community

Focus

Creation of new green areas, Creation of any other green urban spaces, Maintenance and management of urban nature, Maintenance or upgrade of exisiting green spaces (e.g. parks), Improved governance of green or blue areas, Establishment of inclusive governance mechanisms involving local communities

Project objectives

To transform the historic city center into an urban free space that respectfully considers its culture and history. (Ref. 1) To create a recreational space that integrates culture and sustainability within the densely built city center. (Ref. 1) To improve the microclimate by establishing new green spaces and enhancing existing ones through tree and shrub planting. (Ref. 1; Ref. 4) To create barrier-free access to the banks of the Spree. (Ref. 3) To improve local rainwater management. To include the inhabitants of Berlin in decision making processes (Ref. 1)

Implementation activities

The plans that have been drawn up envisage barrier-free access to the banks of the Spree, leisure, sports and play areas for all age groups in the groves of trees to the side and innovative rainwater management (Ref. 3) In future, a water feature with refreshing fountains or clouds of mist at the foot of the staircase will provide a cooling effect. The current, relatively steep slope to the banks of the Spree will be flattened and equipped with new steps. A ramp will provide barrier-free access to the riverbank area and overcome the existing height difference. Around 5,000 square metres of space will be unsealed, and new and versatile greenery will be planted to provide shadow and lower the local temperature, additional to the already existing green space. An innovative rainwater management and infiltration system is turning the historic centre of Mitte into a vibrant sponge city. Instead of running off via the sewage system, the rainwater remains on site and is used directly on the green areas and evaporates, thereby contributing to the cooling of the area, or contributing to groundwater formation. The citizens‘ dialogue “Alte Mitte - Neue Liebe” began in 2015, during which participants defined citizens’ guidelines. Initiated by the then Senate Department for Urban Development and Housing, the dialogue was continued with Stadtwerkstatt Berliner Mitte. Based on the results, an international open space planning ideas competition was held in 2021. Construction starts in 2024.

Climate-focused activities

Climate change adaptation:

Increase urban vegetation cover to reduce urban heat island effect

Main beneficiaries

Citizens or community groups

Governance

Management set-up

Led by non-government actors

Type of initiating organisation

Regional government
Private sector/corporate actor/company

Participatory approaches/ community involvement

Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
Dissemination of information and education
Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)

Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project

Grün Berlin, represented by the Berlin Senate Department for Mobility, Transport, Climate Protection and the Environment, is responsible for the client function and overall project management. (Ref. 1) The planning was conducted by two local landscape architecture and engineering companies. The state of Berlin and federal government is financing the project. (Ref. 2) The Senate Department for Urban Development, Building and Housing and the Mitte district led the participation processes to which citizens were invited. Further stakeholders involved in the plannign process were the Mitte District Office, the Roads and Green Spaces Office, the Waterways and Shipping Office and other state-owned companies: city cleaning, transport networks and water utility service. Two NGOs were engaged with the youth interaction and workshops. (Ref. 9)

Project implemented in response to ...

... an EU policy or strategy? Unknown

... a national policy or strategy? Unknown

... a local policy or strategy? Unknown

Type of enablers

Governance innovations (such as public private partnerships)

Financing

Total cost

More than €4,000,000

Source(s) of funding

Public national budget
Public regional budget

Type of funding

Earmarked public budget

Non-financial contribution

Type of non-financial contribution

Provision of land
Provision of expertise

Who provided the non-financial contribution?

Public authorities (e.g. land, utility services)
Citizens (e.g. volunteering)

Impacts and Monitoring

Environmental impacts

Climate change
Lowered local temperature
Expected lowered local temperature
Water management and blue areas
Improved stormwater management
Expected improved stormwater management
Green space and habitat
Increased green space area
Expected increased green space area
Increased number of species present
Expected increased number of species present

Economic impacts

Unknown

Socio-cultural impacts

Health and wellbeing
Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
Expected gain in activities for recreation and exercise

Type of reported impacts

Presence of formal monitoring system

Unknown

Presence of indicators used in reporting

No evidence in public records

Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports

No evidence in public records

Availability of a web-based monitoring tool

No evidence in public records

Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs

Unknown

References

Grün Berlin (n.d.). Rathaus- und Marx-Engels-Forum. Accessed on September 27, 2024, [Source link];

Grün Berlin (n.d.). Daten & Fakten. Accessed on September 27, 2024, [Source link];

Grün Berlin (2023). Rathaus- und Marx-Engels-Forum: Planungen zur Weiterentwicklung schreiten voran. Accessed on September 27, 2024, [Source link];

Leffler, B. (2024). Ab Winter 2024: Start der grünen Umgestaltung des Rathausforums. Accessed on September 27, 2024, [Source link];

Kieffert, U. (2023). Pläne für Rathaus- und Marx-Engels-Forum werden konkret. Accessed on September 27, 2024, [Source link];

Senate Department for Mobility, Transport, Climate Protection and the Environment (2021). Freiraumwettbewerb Rathaus- und Marx-Engels-Forum in Berlins historischer Mitte entschieden. Accessed on September 27, 2024, [Source link];

District Office Mitte (n.d.). Einwohner*innen im Bezirk Mitte. Accessed on September 27, 2024, [Source link];

District Office Mitte (n.d.). Demografische und sozioökonomische Daten. Accessed on September 27, 2024, [Source link];

Grün Berlin (n.d.). Kollektiv koordiniert. Accessed on September 27, 2024, [Source link];

Free access to the waterfront and water fountains for cooling

Green and water spaces for cooling

Grün Berlin GmbH