SPD, Left Party, and Greens have jointly requested Building Senator Katrin Lompscher (Left Party) to develop a high-rise masterplan for Berlin. The stated goal is to prevent architectural sprawl driven purely by economic demand.
A reversal from the previous government
The position contrasts sharply with the prior grand coalition. Former Urban Development Senator Andreas Geisel (SPD) promoted high-rise construction as a tool against land scarcity: "Berlin needs to be able to grow upward to conserve land resources." Under his leadership, the Alexanderplatz masterplan was revised to allow up to nine high-rises. Lompscher criticized these plans while still in opposition, citing concerns about the sightline from Karl-Marx-Allee to the TV Tower.
Alexanderplatz and ongoing projects
In 2016, six residential high-rises were completed in Berlin. According to our research, at least 19 more are in the pipeline. At Alexanderplatz in Mitte, American and Russian investor groups plan residential towers with several hundred apartments. Lompscher is now reviewing whether these plans will stand. Construction of additional towers near the Park Inn Hotel does not appear to be in question, but other locations are being reassessed.
Potential requirements
The coalition parties have already put forward concrete proposals. The SPD suggests a minimum occupancy guarantee of 80 percent to prevent speculation through vacancy. Ground floors and observation decks should be publicly accessible. The Left Party and Greens want a framework that prioritizes urban compatibility over height alone.
For project developers, this means approval processes are likely to become more involved. The exact criteria of the masterplan are still being drafted, but the direction is clear. Anyone looking to build tall in Berlin will need to demonstrate added value for the surrounding neighborhood. The market development for new development projects will depend in part on the political framework.
