Euref Campus in Berlin-Schoeneberg: Formerly a gas tank – today a think tank

The excavators are still working on the old gasometer. In the lower area, the steel construction of the former gas tank is clad with wooden panels. Construction workers hurry back and forth – probably the usual hustle and bustle before the topping-out ceremony. Head of Technology Heribert Günther is a sought-after man these days, his phone is constantly ringing. He is standing in front of the future main entrance in a red weather jacket, jeans and brown work shoes.

The project, he explains, is actually three construction sites in one. “On the one hand, the historic steel construction from 1913 had to be renovated. The work is already 80 percent complete. Secondly, the interior of the 15 floors behind the new aluminum and glass facade is in progress. And thirdly, the conference area is being completed.”

In the entrance area you get a first impression of the spaciousness of the future office and conference center on the EUREF campus. Long corridors, high ceilings, the cut-outs in the concrete walls where the elevators will later be installed. The freight elevators for the material and the builders are still installed there.

Event elevators will be used in the shafts in the future. Fully mechanized and with monitors on the walls, construction and technology manager Günther enthuses. The large event hall for up to 1,000 people is currently being prepared on the ground floor of the renovated gasometer. Thousands of cables for light, sound and computer control are still hanging from the ceiling.

Over 150 companies that are involved in some way with the energy transition are present on the EUREF campus. There is also teaching and research. The TU Berlin, for example, offers four master’s courses here. The historic water tower, administration buildings from the 1970s and 80s that have been upgraded to the latest technical standards and so-called intelligent new buildings make up the entire ensemble of the Euref campus.

And yet the old gas storage facility is and will not only be an eye-catcher – it is a structural gem in which the energy transition is really practical, says Euref board spokeswoman Karin Teichmann. “The Gasometer is the image of the campus. A former gasworks, ultra-modern for its time, is now a location for the energy transition. That’s why we deliberately developed the heart of the campus at the very end.”

2,000 digitization specialists from Deutsche Bahn will work at this location in the future and develop ideas for mobility in the future. In addition, the Gasometer will be an important conference and event location for all topics revolving around the energy and mobility transition.

And it will also be a public place, because in the future, residents and tourists will also be invited to the Sky Lounge with its 360-degree panoramic terrace. The view of the city skyline from a height of around 70 meters is indeed breathtaking.

Euref AG invested around 200 million euros in the renovation and new construction of the gasometer. A lot of money, but it is also a unique project, says CEO Teichmann. The Gasometer is the icing on the cake for the entire EUREF campus. “The way we renovated and expanded the old industrial monument creates a completely new image that will be talked about in Berlin.”

In the end, more than 7,000 people will be working, researching, teaching and learning on the campus. And it is always about the energy and mobility transition, about the future of a modern city. The digitization experts at Deutsche Bahn will be able to move into their offices at the beginning of next year. And half a year later, the event areas and the Sky Lounge will also be open to the public.

Broadcast: rbb24 Inforadio, May 4th, 2023, 9:25 a.m