Architecture
100-meter mark - “Sky’s the limit”: Estrel Tower sets new standards in the Berlin skyline!”
23.05.2024 – It’s official: the Estrel Tower has reached the 100-meter mark! This impressive building, which will soon be one of the tallest hotels in Germany, attained a decisive construction milestone on May 15 and now dominates the Berlin skyline with its monumental silhouette.
To celebrate, a special Tower cake, designed by none other than the “Chef of Kings”, Peter Griebel, was sliced and shared with the construction staff yesterday. For the Culinary Director of Berlin’s Estrel Hotel, the motto is: “There’s no such thing as impossible”. Interested journalists now have access to photos and spectacular drone footage documenting the Tower’s awe-inspiring height and unique architecture.
“Every construction project of this size is an enormous challenge,”
states Ekkehard Streletzki, founder and builder of the Estrel.
“I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved thanks to the outstanding cooperation of all the companies involved.”
From the start, the Estrel Tower was designed with a strong focus on sustainability. This environmental priority is reflected in features such as green roofs, bicycle parking spaces and a progressive, CO2-reducing energy concept that is connected to a climate-neutral district heating network. In addition, the Tower is aiming for LEED® Platinum certification, which emphasizes its commitment to environmental protection.
The completion of the 28th floor is not only a symbol of architectural and ecological innovation, but also embodies Berlin’s dynamic growth and innovative strength. Scheduled for completion by the end of 2025, the project will have a lasting impact on the city and its role as a global metropolis.
About Estrel Berlin: The Streletzki family has been invested in developing the Berlin-Neukölln area since the 1990s. Originally the largest hotel in Germany, the Estrel Berlin added its own show theater in 1997. With the opening of the Estrel Convention Center (ECC) in 1999, the facility became an international congress location. Convention Hall II, opened in 2015, and a state-of-the-art auditorium was added in 2021.
Architecture
100-meter mark - “Sky’s the limit”: Estrel Tower sets new standards in the Berlin skyline!”
Construction site
Upwards from the foundation!
Construction site
Estrel Tower was presented to the public
Architecture
A new landmark for Berlin
Portrait
Barkow Leibinger, architecture firm
Architecture
100-meter mark - “Sky’s the limit”: Estrel Tower sets new standards in the Berlin skyline!”
23.05.2024 – It’s official: the Estrel Tower has reached the 100-meter mark! This impressive building, which will soon be one of the tallest hotels in Germany, attained a decisive construction milestone on May 15 and now dominates the Berlin skyline with its monumental silhouette.
To celebrate, a special Tower cake, designed by none other than the “Chef of Kings”, Peter Griebel, was sliced and shared with the construction staff yesterday. For the Culinary Director of Berlin’s Estrel Hotel, the motto is: “There’s no such thing as impossible”. Interested journalists now have access to photos and spectacular drone footage documenting the Tower’s awe-inspiring height and unique architecture.
“Every construction project of this size is an enormous challenge,”
states Ekkehard Streletzki, founder and builder of the Estrel.
“I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved thanks to the outstanding cooperation of all the companies involved.”
From the start, the Estrel Tower was designed with a strong focus on sustainability. This environmental priority is reflected in features such as green roofs, bicycle parking spaces and a progressive, CO2-reducing energy concept that is connected to a climate-neutral district heating network. In addition, the Tower is aiming for LEED® Platinum certification, which emphasizes its commitment to environmental protection.
The completion of the 28th floor is not only a symbol of architectural and ecological innovation, but also embodies Berlin’s dynamic growth and innovative strength. Scheduled for completion by the end of 2025, the project will have a lasting impact on the city and its role as a global metropolis.
About Estrel Berlin: The Streletzki family has been invested in developing the Berlin-Neukölln area since the 1990s. Originally the largest hotel in Germany, the Estrel Berlin added its own show theater in 1997. With the opening of the Estrel Convention Center (ECC) in 1999, the facility became an international congress location. Convention Hall II, opened in 2015, and a state-of-the-art auditorium was added in 2021.
25.08.2022 — On Thursday, August 25 and Friday, August 26, 2022, the work to complete the foundation of the Estrel Tower is in full swing.
On Thursday, August 25 and Friday, August 26, 2022 is the final push to complete the Estrel Tower’s foundation. 800 truckloads of concrete are heading to the site today and tomorrow to create the concrete foundation. In addition to the company’s own concrete mixing plant onsite to handle the building’s general concrete requirements, almost all of Berlin’s concrete suppliers have been commissioned for the creation of the foundation. With the foundation in place, the upwards construction of the Estrel Tower can commence. With a planned 176 meters, the Estrel Tower will be Berlin’s tallest non-technical structure.
The concreting of the 3.60-meter-thick base plate, which rests on a total of 53 bored piles, forms the secure foundation on which the Estrel Tower will stand and marks a further stage in the impressive construction of the skyscraper.
“We began construction of the Estrel Tower last year and I am delighted that the project is progressing. The laying of the foundation is a further step for us in this unique building project,”
states Ekkehard Streletzki, owner and developer of the Estrel Tower
“With four concrete pumps and one in reserve, the foundation, with a total volume of approx. 6000 m³, is being poured in 3 shifts in around 30 hours. Approx. 200 m³ of concrete flow per hour. The concrete is poured in layers and is continuously compacted,” adds Christian von Eickstedt, project manager of the Estrel Tower.
The Estrel Tower is due to open at the end of 2025 and will offer a mix of hotel, serviced apartments, offices, restaurants and event space.
“Thanks to its adaptable building structure and multi-use mix, the Estrel Tower connects with the Neukölln neighborhood and will also be able to respond well to changing usage requirements in the future,”
states Regine Leibinger from the Berlin architectural firm Barkow Leibinger
The construction site will be powered by renewable energy for the entire construction period. The Estrel Tower is aiming for the highest sustainability building standard, LEED® Platinum.
Construction site
Estrel Tower was presented to the public
03.11.2021 — Plans for Berlin’s brand-new landmark, the Estrel tower, were presented to the public today by contractors Ekkehard and Maxim Streletzki, alongside architects Regine Leibinger and Frank Barkow. Among those present were Franziska Giffey,elected governing mayor of Berlin, and Martin Hikel, mayor of Berlin’s Neukölln district.
At 176 metres tall, the tower will be Berlin’s largest skyscraper and Germany’s highest hotel – a unique project at the forefront of innovation in modern construction.
“The Estrel Tower presents both a huge opportunity and a huge gift for Berlin,” said Franziska Giffey, who has been supporting the project for the past decade, most notably in her former role as mayor of Neukölln. “We want to usher in a new era for our capital city. A new era calls for a new look. And this will become a part of the face of Berlin.”
Giffey’s successor, Martin Hikel, was equally enthusiastic: “As major of Neukölln, I’m very proud that my district will be home to this tower, which will transform its surrounding area into a new hub.”
Following ten years of planning, Ekkehard Streletzki’s big vision is becoming a reality. “Like the construction of the Estrel itself, this all began with a sketch on the back of a napkin,” he remarked at Wednesday’s press conference. Streletzki’s vision has become the 176 metre tall Estrel Tower, which will sit over 45 floors and a total of 77,500 square metres, with 525 hotel rooms and serviced apartments, 9,000 square metres of state-of-the-art offices and co-working spaces, 2,000 square metres of additional event space in the tower’s base, as well as an entire floor devoted to fitness and wellness. Its beating heart will be its atrium – awash with bright, natural night and suffused with greenery – which will house a local bakery, as well as a gallery and start-up incubator. The overall concept is rounded out by a public park and recreation area on the banks of the canal. A playground has also been included in construction plans: “We want to be a good neighbour,” emphasised Maxim Streletzki.nze Etage für Wellness und Fitness entstehen, Realität. Herzstück ist das lichtdurchflutete, begrünte öffentliche Atrium, in dem neben lokaler Bäckerei eine Galerie und ein Inkubator für Start-ups vorgesehen sind. Abgerundet wird das Konzept durch einen öffentlich zugänglichen Park und Recreation Area am Ufer des Neuköllner Schifffahrtskanals. Auch ein Spielplatz ist geplant: „Wir wollen ein guter Nachbar sein“, so Maxim Streletzki.
The coronavirus pandemic has influenced plans to develop this project into a multi-use building: “Over the past two years, we’ve been thinking a lot about how meetings and events will look in years to come,” explained Maxim Streletzki. “We strongly believe that there is no substitute for human interaction – and that we have to improve on existing concepts.” For Maxim Streletzki, encouraging exchange between the tower’s visitors and residents is at the heart of the project: “By designing this building for a wide array of uses, we hope to facilitate many memorable experiences and inspiring encounters.”
Meeting rooms and private dining rooms will be located on the 41st and 42nd floors, while the 43rd and 44th floors will be home to a farm-to-table restaurant, serving ingredients sourced directly from producers. A large portion of these ingredients will come from a historic farm in Brandenburg, which has been acquired specifically for this project. “This way, we’ll be in control of our supply chain and know exactly where our ingredients are coming from. It doesn’t get more fresh or transparent than that,” explained Maxim Streletzki.
Another highlight is the sky bar with an outdoor terrace and a spectacular panoramic view of Berlin. These upper four floors have been flexibly designed to serve as event spaces and offer the most unique event experience in Germany at these heights.
Sustainability has always been of great importance to the Streletzki family and was instrumental in the planning of the Estrel Tower from the start. As designed by architecture firm Barkow Leibinger, the building’s exterior features aluminium fins that were custom-built according to sun’s position with respect to the site; the result is the building’s natural cooling effect in the warmer months. In addition to planted rooftops outfitted with solar panels, the project makes use of an innovative CO2-saving energy concept developed in cooperation with E.ON Business Solutions and RTWH Aachen University. For Maxim Streletzki, this marks a milestone: “We are planning a hydrogen-based energy production concept. If everything works out the way we and our research team are hoping, this could serve as a blueprint for future projects.” Regionally-sourced wood and recycled materials will be used for the interior fittings, and more than half of the available parking spots will be reserved especially for bicycles. The grounds will be planted with wildflowers, creating a biotope for diverse animal species. One of the Tower project’s goals is to be awarded LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification.
A tunnel will seamlessly connect the Tower to the Estrel Congress Center (ECC), which boasts 30,000 square metres of event space. The new construction project allows the Estrel to further solidify its position as Germany’s largest hotel and Berlin’s most successful conference venue – also thanks to its ideal location: The complex will serve as a gateway connecting the city centre and its environs, owing to its convenient southern location between BER Airport and the heart of Berlin. BER can be reached by S-Bahn (elevated railway) or car in 20 minutes. And Tempelhof Field is just a 15-minute S-Bahn ride from the premises.
The Estrel Tower is set to open in 2024. The total investment volume, excluding land, is 260 million euros.
23.11.2021 — Eines der spannendsten Bauprojekte Berlins wird nun endlich Wirklichkeit: Der Estrel Tower! An der Sonnenallee, direkt gegenüber des Estrel Berlin, entsteht mit 176 m Höhe Berlins höchstes Hochhaus und Deutschlands höchstes Hotel.
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Der als mixed-use geplante Estrel Tower wird eine einmalige Mischung aus Hotel, Serviced Apartments, Büros und kreativen Flächen bieten. Absolutes Highlight sind dabei die oberen vier der insgesamt 45 Etagen, auf denen Meeting und Private Dining Rooms sowie ein „Farm to Table“-Restaurant und Skybar mit Außenterrasse vorgesehen sind. Diese oberen Etagen sind auch als flexible Eventfläche vorgesehen und bieten mit ihrem atemberaubenden Blick auf die Hauptstadt die höchste und außergewöhnlichste Eventlocation Deutschlands.
In der ersten Novemberwoche wurde das Projekt im Beisein von Franziska Giffey, designierte Regierendende Bürgermeisterin von Berlin, sowie Martin Hikel, Bürgermeister von Neukölln, der Öffentlichkeit vorgestellt. Das Event fand direkt auf der Baustelle statt, auf der die Tiefbauarbeiten derzeit im vollen Gange sind und bis zum Jahresende abgeschlossen sein werden. Anfang 2022 beginnt dann der Rohbau, 2024 soll der Estrel Tower eröffnet werden.
01.11.2021 — The Estrel Tower was designed by Barkow Leibinger, a Berlin-based architecture firm. Construction of the iconic landmark, which will be Berlin’s tallest skyscraper and Europe’s largest hotel, is set to be completed by the end of 2025. The new building will be located opposite the Estrel Berlin.
“An architectural landmark on the outskirts of Berlin”
Barkow Leibinger
Sieben Jahre nach dem Gewinn des Wettbewerbs mussten, auch aufgrund der Corona-Pandemie, die Pläne noch einmal geändert werden. „Was wir im Zuge der Pandemie zusätzlich angepasst haben, sind Seven years after winning the design competition to build the Estrel Tower, COVID-19 forced architecture firm Barkow Leibinger to adjust its plans. “During the pandemic, we made changes to the number of rooms and the functions of the spaces in the Tower,” says Regine Leibinger. “Besides hotel rooms, suites and an executive area, we’ve now incorporated 90 long-stay apartments into the design, as well as office spaces on floors three to eleven. This means that eight of the Tower’s 45 storeys are now exclusively for office use.” To ensure ceilings are high enough to accommodate this change, the architects had to eliminate a floor and design a more efficient ventilation and cooling system.
The Barkow Leibinger exterior design features aluminium fins encasing large glass surfaces. This aesthetic, which creates an illusion of added spatial depth, can be seen in earlier Barkow Leibinger projects, including their Monnet 4 office building in Europacity (Berlin). The industrially prefabricated fins have several functions. In addition to giving the Tower a dynamic shape, they visually tie together disparate architectural components to create a cohesive whole. The fins also serve as glare and heat protection, deter birds from flying into the building and provide anchor points for access systems.
“At a height of 176 metres, the Tower is a unique structure in matt-silver. We’re certain it will be regarded as one of southern Berlin’s architectural icons”, says American architect Frank Barkow. Barkow Leibinger’s conceptual approach was inspired by a children’s game called Tangram in which five triangles of various sizes, a square and a parallelogram are combined to form hundreds of geometric shapes. The Estrel Tower emerges as a striking, organic work of architecture in its own right, yet is part of an overall ensemble with a clear visual relationship to the existing hotel.
Regine Leibinger and Frank Barkow founded their American-German architecture firm in 1993 in Berlin. The company currently employs around 80 people, and its offices, which have its own model workshop, are located in a former industrial site in the Charlottenburg district. In recent years, the scope of Barkow Leibinger’s projects has ranged from public buildings and office buildings to residential and industrial interiors within existing buildings in Germany, America and Asia. Besides the Estrel Tower, Berlin-based projects include “Tour Total” near Berlin’s main train station and their current project: rebuilding the former Constanze Pressehaus at the An der Urania and Kurfürstenstraße intersection in the centre of former West Berlin.
Berlin