In the heart of Treptower Park, the Spreepark is being transformed into a unique place where art, culture, and nature come together. Once the only amusement park in the former GDR and later known as a “lost place,” the site is now being redeveloped into an extraordinary park covering approximately 21 hectares.
In the heart of Treptower Park, in the middle of Berlin, a unique place is being created with the Spreepark by 2027 – balancing art, culture, and nature. For many years, this site was closed to the public and gained fame beyond Berlin as a so-called “Lost Place.” After its reopening in 2027, the new Spreepark will provide added value for Berlin’s residents and tourists, for nature, for Berlin as a cultural hub, and for the local and regional economy.
Project partnership between Uniola Berlin and dan pearlman Experience Architecture within the Arge Spreepark Freianlagen
The ARGE Spreepark Freianlagen GbR is a partnership of the Berlin-based offices Uniola AG, specializing in landscape architecture and urban design, and dan pearlman Experience Architecture GmbH, focusing on architecture and landscape architecture. Together, they are developing the Spreepark on behalf of Grün Berlin GmbH and the Berlin Senate Department for Mobility, Transport, Climate Protection, and the Environment into a park that brings together art, culture, and nature.
The collaboration within ARGE Spreepark Freianlagen GbR is based on a framework plan, developed together with local citizens, for the redesign of the former amusement park in Berlin’s Treptow-Köpenick district. The two Berlin-based firms were awarded the contract for the Spreepark transformation through a public tender issued by Grün Berlin GmbH in 2020. Since then, the partners have been working jointly on the redesign of the entire site.
The foundation of the park’s transformation is the existing relics and former rides, which are being sustainably and future-orientedly revitalized. The planning and implementation not only address the outdoor areas as part of the landscape architecture, but also include the design of a new operations building, a new amphitheater, various building facades from the amusement park era, and unique play areas. Additional elements such as the new Ferris wheel, the English Village, and the newly designed workshop hall are also part of the overall plan. The park design, with its robust existing vegetation, is conceived as a stage-like space offering a variety of densities, open spaces, cool and warm areas, and distinct atmospheres.
Participation of the public and numerous stakeholders
In designing the Spreepark, planners, architects, engineers, and artists are working closely with the Senate Department for Mobility, Transport, Climate Protection, and the Environment, the Treptow-Köpenick district, and Grün Berlin. Old buildings and rides are being transformed into stages for art and culture, offering special experiences in everyday life. Alongside new features, beloved attractions from earlier times, such as the Mero Hall and the Eierhäuschen, are being revived. The concept, developed together with the public, continues to evolve step by step.
Sustainable development project
Environmental protection and sustainability are central to the future Spreepark. All planning, construction measures, and park operations are being implemented according to a comprehensive sustainability concept, with exemplary ecological, social, and economic standards. As the first public park in Germany, the Spreepark project has been awarded the pre-certification in platinum by the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB). This platinum certification is awarded to construction projects that meet exceptionally high standards for sustainable implementation.
A Ferris wheel for Berlin
The rich history of the former amusement park is the foundation of the new Spreepark. Rides, architecture, and vegetation are being preserved as much as possible and protected from decay. With a forward-looking transformation, the Spreepark is being reimagined as a new type of park.
The renovation of the iconic Ferris wheel is a prime example of this ambition. As part of the new concept, large parts of the original structure are being carefully restored and reused. A new highlight is the diagonally suspended support structure, allowing the Ferris wheel to appear as if floating above a newly built 3,000-square-meter water basin.
Opening planned for 2027
The reopening of the Spreepark is scheduled for spring 2027, following the completion of revitalization efforts. With the Spreepark, the capital city will regain a unique place that adds leisure and recreation while offering opportunities to experience and discover art, culture, and nature in public space. The completion of the park will not mark the end of its development, but rather the beginning of a new era.
In the middle of a protected urban nature area, temporary art, events, and exhibitions will create lasting experiences, and the Spreepark will once again become a cultural institution in Berlin.
Further information
More information about the project is available in the brochure designed by spring brand ideas for Grün Berlin, titled “The Spreepark of the Future,” which was published as part of the Spreepark Lab Days 2021: https://gruen-berlin.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Pressefotos/spreepark/Spreepark_Labortage_2021_Broschu__re_Ansicht.pdf
Additionally, information about the project is also available online on the project’s own website: https://www.spreepark.berlin/konzept/vision-ziele/
