en.Wedoany.com Reported - The former Berlin Tegel Airport site in Germany is gradually transforming into a new urban district, with Berlin TXL Management GmbH responsible for the development, marketing, and operation of the project. Currently, 42 companies and institutions have settled here, with approximately 450 employees on site.
In November 2020, Tegel Airport ceased passenger operations; in August 2021, Berlin TXL Management GmbH took over most of the land and properties. The project plans a research and industrial park, residential areas, and recreational green spaces on a 500-hectare site, aiming for sustainability, resource efficiency, and carbon neutrality through the use of renewable energy.
The core area, "Urban Tech Republic," is being developed around the iconic terminal building and will accommodate businesses and universities. Current tenants come from sectors such as mobility, energy, materials, sensors, and digital infrastructure, utilizing existing structures like cargo halls and hangars for operations. For example, the startup Earthbound uses excavated soil from construction sites in a hangar to produce recyclable earth bricks and mortar. Founder Micha Kretschmann stated that they found suitable pilot space in Tegel.
The site features old runways, providing 60 hectares of ground and air "experimental space," where companies can test autonomous vehicles or drone technology in a technically safe environment. The startup Projekt Q tests detection systems such as radar, drones, audio sensors, and cameras here. Managing Director Felix Albrecht noted that it is difficult to find a similar venue anywhere else in northern Germany.
Frank Wolters, Managing Director of Berlin TXL Management GmbH, stated that the Urban Tech Republic ultimately plans to accommodate 1,000 companies and 20,000 employees. Marketing for new plots has recently begun, with a contract signed for a 7,000-square-meter plot with the first investor, and a second plot to be launched in the fall. In 2027, approximately 95,000 square meters of commercial land are planned, followed by about 124,000 square meters in 2028. The plots are leased under ground lease rights (Erbbaurecht), with the State of Berlin retaining ownership.
Most of the terminal building, which is under heritage protection, will be preserved. Berlin University of Applied Sciences (Berliner Hochschule für Technik) will move into Terminal A, with a groundbreaking ceremony for the renovation expected soon, and around 2,500 students anticipated by the early 2030s. Terminal B is planned to house a startup, innovation, and conference center, with renovations starting in 2028. Terminal D will become a center for mobility, artificial intelligence, and robotics, with building planning beginning next year.
In the "Schumacher Quartier" at the eastern end of the former airport, over 5,000 housing units will be built on 46 hectares, accommodating more than 10,000 people. The state-owned company Degewo will begin construction of 337 housing units in August, with completion planned by the end of 2028, starting at a rent of 7 euros per square meter. The buildings will use resource-efficient wood-hybrid construction, and the entire neighborhood will be developed sustainably, using renewable energy, managing rainwater according to the sponge city principle, and largely avoiding car traffic. Another municipal company, Gesobau, will develop other construction areas.
Regarding transportation connections for the future urban district TXL, the Berlin Senate decided in early 2024 to initiate the construction of a tram line. The new tram line connecting to the U6 subway line may be completed by 2034. Wolters stated that discussions are ongoing with Berlin Transport Company (BVG) about interim solutions, envisioning the use of autonomous vehicles from 2031 to connect the startup and innovation center in Terminal B with the subway and urban railway.
