Swiss Firm :mlzd to Design New Tower for Berlin’s Tempelhof Airport
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Swiss architects :mlzd will design the new tower of Berlin’s former Tempelhof airport.The project titled “Tower THF” sees a major overhaul of the south-western part of former airport building, including new entrances, a roof terrace, a lobby, exhibitionSwiss Firm :mlzd to Design New Tower for Berlin’s Tempelhof Airport
Swiss architects :mlzd will design the new tower of Berlin’s former Tempelhof airport.The project titled “Tower THF” sees a major overhaul of the south-western part of former airport building, including new entrances, a roof terrace, a lobby, exhibitions spaces as well as a new café. The Berlin senate’s department for urban development plans to grant more public access to the former airport building with these modification that come with a budget of € 8.3 Mio. It also intends to make the historical site more attractive to tourists and visitors.The Biel based firm won the competition in a round of seven finalists against Berlin architects Winking Froh, Bruno Fioretti Marquez, ARGE Klaus Block, Roland Poppensieker and Paris based PROJECTILES.The jury, headed by Berlin architect Jörg Springer, praised :mlzd’s “contemporary … yet sensitive approach to the heterogeneous make-up” of the building and saw positive potential in the design of the new roof terrace. The new Tower is scheduled to open in 2019.Tempelhof airport was originally constructed in the 1920s and massively extended in the 1930s under Nazi rule (Nazi architect Albert Speer planned for the airport to become one of the crown jewels of the Nazi capital “Germania”). It remains one of the largest built entities worldwide. The airport also played a crucial role in the post-World War II airlift, when the Western allies were blocked off from Berlin by the Soviet Zone of occupation and began the unprecedented task of supplying the city’s residents with food and necessities by air for 11 months.In 2008, the airport closed operations. While the building itself has been used for fairs and events, the Tempelhof field has turned into a popular public park. Read more