Massive vertical flora display scheduled for former location of shattered aquarium at Berlin Radisson hotel

Radisson Collection Hotel in Berlin to Feature a 16-Metre-High Vertical Garden

The Radisson Collection Hotel, situated near Alexanderplatz in Berlin, has announced a new concept for its lobby area. The centrepiece of the revamped lobby will be a 16-metre-high vertical garden, replacing the exploded aquarium that made international headlines in December 2022.

The new vertical garden will cover approximately 120 square metres and reach up to the sixth floor, as previously announced. The installation will feature approximately 2,000 plants of 22 different species, arranged on 36 tree-like vertical slats. The plants will be complemented by dramatic lighting that changes over the course of the day.

The living tree design aims to make use of as much of the aquarium's remaining material as possible, including the 150-ton concrete base. By reusing the concrete base, high CO2 emissions from demolition, removal, and disposal have been avoided. The 90 tons of acrylic glass from the exploded aquarium tank is planned to be recycled by a certified waste disposal company this summer.

The aquarium burst sent approximately 1,500 fish and a million litres of water into the hotel lobby and onto the street, causing the hotel to close in December 2022. An investigation into the cause of the explosion was undertaken, but experts were unable to come to a clear conclusion, and the investigation has since been closed in October 2023.

Union Investment Real Estate GmbH, the company responsible for the hotel, has declined to make the cost of the lobby rebuild public. However, the hotel is expected to reopen at the end of the year.

Spokesman Fabian Hellbusch announced the new lobby centrepiece on Thursday. The Radisson Collection Hotel near Alexanderplatz in Berlin remains a much-discussed topic, and this innovative vertical garden is set to bring a fresh, green vibe to the hotel.

Massive vertical flora display scheduled for former location of shattered aquarium at Berlin Radisson hotel