Berlin maestoso inclusive venue plans

Article posted by Coliseum, May 31^st, 2024

Image: O+M Arechitekten GmbH

The Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark in the Pankow district of Prenzlauer Berg is to be transformed into Berlin’s (Germany) first inclusive sports park. The sports park sits right next to the Mauerpark.

As part of the plans, the Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark, built in the 1950s, will be demolished in 2024. Work is scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2024, a few months later than previously planned.

‘goolazo.berlin’ stated that the “new” Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark will be a flagship project for inclusive sports and leisure activities. Berlin’s third-largest stadium will be totally refurbished in the heart of the Prenzlauer Berg complex with space for 20,000 spectators.

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The 10,490-capacity Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark is a multipurpose sports complex located in the Western part of the locality of Prenzlauer Berg in the borough of Pankow in Berlin (Germany). The sports complex covers an area of approximately 22 hectares and comprises several facilities.

Image: O+M Arechitekten GmbH

The Mauerpark is a public linear park in Berlin’s Prenzlauer Berg district. The name translates to ‘Wall Park’, referring to its status as a former part of the Berlin Wall and its Death Strip. The park sits on the border of Prenzlauer Berg and Gesundbrunnen district of former West Berlin.

The Berlin Wall was a guarded concrete barrier that encircled West Berlin of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG, West Germany) from 1961 to 1989, separating it from East Berlin and the German Democratic Republic (GDR, East Germany). Construction of the Berlin Wall was started by the Government of the GDR on August 13^th, 1961. It included guard towers placed along large concrete walls, accompanied by a wide area (later known as the ‘Death Strip’) that contained anti-vehicle trenches, beds of nails and other defenses.

A linear park is a type of park that is significantly longer than it is wide. These linear parks are strips of public land running along canals, rivers, streams, defensive walls, electrical lines, or highways and shorelines.

Prenzlauer Berg, in the former East Berlin, is a trendy and highly sought-after area for the residents and the visitors alike. This neighborhood is known for its charming streets, picturesque squares and an abundance of cafes and bars.

‘goolazo.berlin’ further stated that the Berlin Senate is investing 110 million euros in the project and the project has been revisited once again. The iconic floodlight masts will only be partially retained.

Image: O+M Arechitekten GmbH

The redeveloped Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark is going to be an inclusive sports facility, in which both the disabled and the non-disabled athletes will play. The facility is intended to serve as a base for parasports and a center for possible Paralympic Games in Berlin.

The Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark is used by numerous sports organizations, schools, universities, and other institutions in Berlin for sports training, teaching and various other competitions. The local residents also use the park for individual sports and daily leisure activities.

For years, particular focus has been on the future use and redesign of the Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark, also known as the Cantian Stadium. Going by its size and the fact that it is centrally located, it is the perfect venue for regional and national sporting competitions as well as cultural and non-sporting events.

The Berlin Senate has, therefore, arrived at a decision that the athletics stadium built in the 1950s will be demolished and a new one constructed in its place.

A training facility for the upcoming European Football Championship will be set up on the site and the Berlin Thunder football team will also play its home games in the facility until mid-August.

The 2024 Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) European Football Championship, commonly referred to as UEFA EURO 2024 or simply EURO 2024, will be the 17th edition of the UEFA European Championship, the quadrennial international football championship organized by the UEFA for the European men’s national teams of its member-associations. Germany will host the tournament, which is scheduled to take place from June 14^th-July 14^th, 2024.

The Berlin Thunder is an American football team in Berlin, Germany. They play in the European League of Football (ELF – a professional American football league based in Europe) Eastern Conference.

Nyon (Switzerland)-based the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) is one of six continental bodies of governance in association football. It governs football, futsal and beach football in Europe and the transcontinental countries of Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Kazakhstan, as well as the West Asian countries of Cyprus, Armenia and Israel. The UEFA consists of 55 national association members. Since 2022, due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the FIFA and UEFA suspended all Russian national teams and clubs from any FIFA and UEFA competitions.

Despite the entire construction exercise starting late, the revamped arena with space for 20,000 spectators is scheduled to be completed in the third quarter of 2027. This was confirmed by the Senate Department for Urban Development, Building and Housing at an event held recently.

O+M Architekten GmbH will lend the design of the reconfigured facility.

Dresden (Germany)-based O+M Architekten GmbH has a passion for good architecture and they approach projects that are characterized by sustainability, cost-effectiveness and architectural quality and work as a team with their partners and clients. The firm is committed to competence and creativity.

Inclusive venue

Apart from a revamped venue, the redeveloped sports campus will focus on inclusion and ease of access which will get reflected in the design. Ramps that make access easier for the wheelchair users will not be hidden but designed as an integral part of the architecture.

People with disabilities will find conditions conducive for them in the arena like the training facilities. Though the stadium will be torn down, but the rest of the activities will go on as usual in the remaining areas of the sports park as informed by the Senate Administration as it enjoys an astonishing amount of space.

Concept revisited

The stadium concept has been revisited once again. The new arena will be a trimmer one and will be more towards the plaza rather than the Wall as desired by the residents.

As per the Senate, the new arena will be suitable for the second and third division matches.

Price tag

The reconfigured venue, which as per present plans will cost around 110 million euros. It is also being planned to build the rest of the sports park in an out-of-the-box kind of manner which will add a glow to the entire area.

The entire sports park will be disabled- and non-disabled-friendly. A running track will be set up for the visually impaired people and a multifunctional hall will be built boasting a huge playing field on the roof and six story meeting center for the clubs and the associations will also be built. Artificial turf will be laid in part of the sports facility.

A clear picture has still not emerged as regards the third phase construction of the sports park complex. The City Council is planning to accord topmost priority to the sustainability factor.

Public participation is being planned this Summer and the project plan will be presented before the House of Representatives in Autumn 2024.

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