Rebuilding of Berlin's Bötzow Brewery by David Chipperfield

Description of project by David Chipperfield

The former Bötzow Brewery is situated within walking distance of Berlin’s Alexanderplatz. Following severe destruction during World War II, the site was never rebuilt. From its very beginning more than 150 years ago, the Bötzow family attached great importance to running a modern brewery and a pleasant working environment. The architecture of the site always reflected these values, incorporating a public beer garden next to industrial buildings which formed a central square. The masterplan aims to perpetuate the singularity of this location. It creates a new identity for the 24,000 m² site and transforms Bötzow Berlin into a new public destination within the city.

The existing buildings will be restored and three new volumes will extend the ensemble, making reference in their location to the earlier buildings. The brewery grounds will be reconnected to the city. Following its historic example, the grounds will accommodate two new external public locations. The site presents itself to the city with a spacious and inviting beer garden. Alongside this, the new and historic buildings define a central square, which embodies the new representative address for Bötzow Berlin, providing access to all buildings within the grounds. The natural topography of the sloping site creates a charming and inviting spatial sequence from the street through the beer garden up to the square. Around 6,000 m2 of historic vaults form the foundations of the site. These will be linked at selected points with the aboveground world, while the mysterious atmosphere of the vaults remains preserved.

The medical technology company Ottobock continues the tradition of the brewery through combining once again entrepreneurship with leisure in Bötzow Berlin. Ottobock Future Lab, which will be built on the brewery grounds, is the company’s second location in the city. This innovation centre represents an important component of the programme and will become a central address on the Bötzow site. Alongside the Future Lab and a brewery with beer garden, Bötzow Berlin will house artisan food manufacturers, restaurants, a swimming club, a boutique hotel and a gallery as well as underground parking spaces.