Urban Tech Republic – Berlin TXL

Instead of planes, ideas and innovations will take off from West Berlin's former Tegel Airport (TXL). As Urban Tech Republic – Berlin TXL, the site will be a model project and a focal point for smart city concepts and the Berlin of the future. 

Information Center: "The Future of Berlin TXL"

Visitors can gain an insight into the planning process in the former canteen of the administration building. Under the motto "The Future of Berlin TXL", the individual projects of the "Urban Tech Republic" and the "Schumacher Quarter" will be presented here. Due to the current Covid19 protection measures, the info point will open later than planned. We will keep you up to date.

Living, teaching, researching

In addition to 5,000 apartments, there are plans for establishing educational and research institutes. In addition, commercial space for up to 1,000 companies is to be created within the framework of a curated innovation park. 

Beuth University moves to Tegel

The first confirmed tenants have already been found. Beuth University, for example, is expected to move into the old terminal building in 2028. Two schools, sports and youth centres will attract young families in particular to Tegel. Construction is also under way in the surrounding area for the growing city of Berlin. Another 4,000 apartments are planned in the Cité Pasteuer and the TXL Nord area.

Model project for cities of the future

What is particularly exciting about the project is that attention is already being paid to sustainable and future-oriented implementation during construction and redesign. The 5,000 apartments to be built from 2021 in the eastern part of the former airport will make it the largest timber construction district in the world. The Schumacher Quartier is to become a model project for climate-neutral and affordable construction methods. The first tenants are expected to move into the new apartments in 2027. 

It will take around 20 years in total to complete all the projects on the site of the former Tegel airport (TXL).

The history of Tegel Airport 

On 8 November, the last plane took off from the former West Berlin airport in the direction of Paris. It was an Air France plane, as was the first flight from Tegel in January 1960, and it was the French occupation forces who had Tegel airfield built during the Berlin Blockade in 1948. 

Since then, up to 24.2 million passengers a year have passed through Tegel Airport, a great deal for this rather small airport in the heart of the city. And many West Berliners found it difficult to say goodbye to Tegel, partly because of the many memories, but also because Tegel was so easy to reach. Others however, especially local residents, were severely impacted by the aircraft noise. 

In a referendum which took place in 2017 parallel to the federal elections, the majority of Berliners voted to keep Tegel Airport as such. However, the Senate prevailed and on 31 October 2020, the new Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) replaced both Tegel Airport (TXL) and Schönefeld Airport (SXF), which now functions as Terminal 5 of the new airport.