The new Spreepark Berlin will be sustainable. From development and planning to construction and subsequent operation. Happold developed an integrated sustainability concept for this purpose. To top it all off, Spreepark Berlin is the first public park in Germany to receive a certificate from the German Sustainable Building Council.
The old Spreepark in Berlin is being renovated in a special way. It will become a unique park whose relics from the past will be transformed into a new, sustainable future. The use of the old treasures is being rethought and linked to the themes of art, culture and nature. Accordingly, Spreepark Berlin is on the verge of a careful and forward-looking new development in the areas of ecology, economy and social affairs. In addition, it also sets high standards for technical quality, process quality and location quality.
Old rides become stages
With the newly developed Spreepark Berlin, the urban population of Berlin is regaining a place that offers local recreation, but at the same time allows art and culture to be experienced in public space. Based on the extensive participation of Berliners and inspired by its past, an important public open space is being created in the Treptow-Köpenick district. Here, old buildings and amusement rides will become stages for culture and art, with a program offering special experiences.
The concept developed together with the residents is being implemented step by step. The experts from Buro Happold are responsible for the sustainability, coordination and implementation and thus for an important component of Berlin’s urban development.
Extensive dialog leads to sustainability concept
The sustainable development of the Spreepark in Berlin takes into account the habitat requirements of local animal and plant species, among other things. Existing buildings will also be repurposed and an innovative traffic concept introduced to support the mobility transition. The new Spreepark Berlin will also have a comprehensive rainwater management system. And the use of renewable energies will result in both climate-related and economic benefits in the future.
Furthermore, the socio-cultural component in Berlin’s Spreepark is also receiving attention. It is based on the extensive dialog with citizens in a multi-year participatory planning process.
Spreepark Berlin: opportunities for gradual realization
The sustainability concept for Spreepark Berlin was developed by the employees of Buro Happold together with Grün Berlin. They have linked concrete specifications for the various dimensions of sustainability. This includes accompanying coordination and work aids for the various project participants. They all ensure quality in the verification procedure of the German Sustainable Building Council , both in planning and in construction and operation. The gradual completion of the new Spreepark in Berlin provides the opportunity to incorporate further sustainable ideas and requirements into the development process.
The sustainability concept in Berlin’s Spreepark is the result of close, participatory collaboration between planners, architects, engineers and artists. Representatives from the Senate Department for the Environment, Mobility, Consumer and Climate Protection, the district of Treptow-Köpenick, Grün Berlin and, of course, the city’s citizens were also involved. This exemplary, joint approach is creating a new kind of park. It will take into account all the pillars of sustainability and make them tangible for visitors.
Various dimensions of sustainability
Six dimensions form the cornerstones of the sustainability concept at Spreepark Berlin. On the one hand, this pays attention to the myth of the park in the sense of a holistic approach. On the other hand, it takes future (climatic) challenges into account today and counteracts them adaptively.
For example, one goal is to use recyclable materials as sustainably as possible and to establish material cycles. With this in mind, the concept provides for rainwater management in order to save drinking water. In addition, standards have been set for the selection of building materials, which simplify the consideration of various sustainability issues in the planning process.
Innovation and technology at Spreepark Berlin
Innovation and technology also play an important role at Spreepark Berlin. They are key components that will help to achieve the climate targets by 2050. Accordingly, the sustainable energy concept aims to reduce energy requirements through various measures. These include an intelligent lighting network with LEDs, the supply of heating and cooling via decentralized heat pumps and efficient energy generation. Photovoltaic systems on large roof areas are intended to generate up to a quarter of the annual electricity requirement.
In addition, individual measures for the use of the park will be integrated into an overarching, interdisciplinary environmental education concept. This will pursue important educational objectives, but also initiate further sustainable changes. It goes without saying that diversity and accessibility are taken into account. Public reporting on sustainability issues is also an elementary part of the experience.
Early and holistic
The early and holistic concept of sustainability for the Spreepark has created an important basis. This helps to incorporate the objectives into the planning via specifications and to ensure their implementation in the execution and operation of the park. A sustainability coordinator has been appointed to support this process in the long term. It will support the Spreepark Berlin team and help to realize the ambitions that have been set. The conditions of the location are seen as a strength and the aim is to treat the existing site with respect.
The certification of Spreepark Berlin by the German Sustainable Building Council is an important element of quality assurance. As none of the existing certification systems take into account the special features of parks, a catalog of criteria for the certification of parks was developed on the basis of the new Spreepark. This concept thus sets a standard for the future development of sustainable parks.
Something old has recently returned to the park: Spreepark Berlin Ferris wheel.
