Urban Renewal: The Debate over Preserving Historic Appeal vs. Modernization
The Molkenmarkt urban planning competition, launched by the Senate Department for Urban Development, Building, and Housing, is set to reveal innovative designs for the northern part of Block B in Berlin-Mitte. The deadline for the designs is at the end of September 2025, and the results will be showcased in a public exhibition scheduled for November of the same year.
The competition is divided into three separate lots for participating architecture firms, each focusing on the unique requirements of the Molkenmarkt area's three zones. Since July 2025, selected firms have been working diligently on their designs, although their names remain undisclosed in the available sources.
The development aims to strike a balance between historical sensitivity and a future-oriented, diverse design. This is particularly important in the handling of archaeological finds and the integration of affordable housing, cultural, and commercial uses, as well as economically viable concepts. The jury will evaluate the designs anonymously to ensure fairness.
The realization of the project will be undertaken by the state-owned Berlin-Mitte Housing Association (WBM). The competition's focus on historical sensitivity and future-oriented design is reflected in the Leaflet CARTO CC BY 3.0 OpenStreetMap sources.
The Molkenmarkt area, Berlin's oldest settlement, has garnered attention from various quarters, including Senatsbaudirektorin Petra Kahlfeldt, historian Dr. Benedikt Goebel, and Berlin residents. A report by Deutschlandfunk delves into the planned rebuilding of Molkenmarkt, providing insights into the project's objectives and challenges.
The competition emphasises the importance of creating a development that ties into the long history of the site, while demonstrating how urban development in Berlin can balance historical preservation and future vision. The results of the competition will showcase different ideas on how to coexist residential, commercial, and cultural uses in this historic area.
For further information on the Molkenmarkt urban planning competition, the historic Berlin Mitte, and the handling of historical heritage, additional articles can be found in the provided links. The project's sources include molkenmarkt.berlin, the Senate Department for Urban Development, Building, and Housing, the Berlin-Mitte Housing Association (WBM), and the Federal Agency for Real Estate Tasks.
The selected architecture firms are currently working on their designs for the northern part of Block B, located between Grunerstraße, Molkenmarkt, and Jüdengasse. The competition focuses on the development of mixed-use areas, including residential, commercial, and cultural spaces.
Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting development in Berlin's historic heart!
