Fountain

A Vibrant Neighbourhood Next To Gesundbrunnen

New-build sustainable urban quarter with a flexible mix of uses (residential, hotel, office and retail) for the Gesundbrunnen district in Berlin Mitte

Two-stage workshop process 2026, awarded one of two third prizes (no second prize awarded)

Client: Hines
Landscape architecture: hola, Berlin
Team: Armin Behles, Bent Gerstenberger, Prof. Jasper Jochimsen, Beyza Öztürk, Bela Schwier, Simon Stahnke
Model: Maquette, Berlin
Model photography: C4C | competence for competitions, Berlin

On the narrow site opposite Gesundbrunnen station, large buildings are arranged in a row along a new promenade. A park at Swinemünder Bridge forms the centre of the new quarter. A hotel tower marks the entrance at Brunnenstraße, while a second mixed-use tower containing residential and office space spans the park. Between them, ground-floor retail units are arranged, with flexible office space above. Parking is accommodated in the basement, along with servicing, which takes advantage of the site’s topography.

The towers are articulated differently, yet both step down towards the south to ensure that required setback distances are maintained within their own plots.

The new park extends alongside the railway tracks. Along its southern edge, it is spatially defined by a row of residential buildings adjoining the existing party wall west of Swinemünder Bridge. The residential block to the east of the bridge, which opens towards the south, also connects to a party wall. A terraced nursery building with roof terraces in front of the group rooms provides a transition to the more open neighbouring development.

The housing comprises efficient layouts with five to eight units per core. The depth of the large yet manageable building volumes corresponds to that of the underground car park below.

A generous urban square is created along Brunnenstraße, extending to the southern entrance of the station. Access for servicing and the underground car park is located at the southern corner of the block on Brunnenstraße and immediately descends to the basement level, ensuring that external open spaces are not affected by these movements. The south-facing courtyards of the office buildings, located on the first floor above the retail units, are equipped with pergolas, extensively landscaped, and provide recreational space for employees.

Beyond Swinemünder Bridge, we propose to terminate the promenade with a neighbourhood square, connecting both the northern and southern sections of Bärbel-Bohley-Ring.