The new residential quarter in Berlin’s Marzahn district will provide well-planned open spaces and a sense of community.
– David Chipperfield

The former Georg-Knorr-Park industrial and production site in Berlin’s Marzahn district is set to be transformed into a new residential and commercial neighbourhood by David Chipperfield Architects.

The 9ha (22ac) site currently features a variety of heritage buildings surrounded by urban infrastructure and commercial industry.

The new plans will see it converted to accommodate 1,400 affordable rental apartments, 90,000sq m (970,000sq ft) of office and commercial space, green areas, recreational facilities and pathways for pedestrians and cyclists.

A new urban structure composed of towers and interconnecting courtyard buildings will be the main new element and will be laid out in such a way as to divide the site into a series of smaller spaces and communities.

The largest, centrally-located courtyard has been conceived to be a "town square", with a childcare centre, restaurants, cafés and spaces for gathering, while others provide green space in the form of lawns with trees.

Arcades built into the buildings will provide more spaces to sit and meet, as well as noise protection and through-flow of light and air for the complex.

There will also be community gardens, playgrounds and meeting spaces for senior citizens, while green roofs provide places for sport, more spaces to gather views out over Berlin.

David Chipperfield said: "The conversion of Georg-Knorr-Park is a great opportunity to build a significant new residential quarter in Berlin’s Marzahn district providing not only affordable apartments of high quality but also an environment of well-planned open spaces and a sense of community."