On 10 January, Nathalie de Vries, Founding Partner and Architect at MVRDV will present the practice’s proposed masterplan to transform Hafenplatz into a mixed-use, green heart for Germany’s capital, the result of an international high-profile competition called “Quartier am Hafenplatz”. From an initial shortlist of five international architecture firms invited to submit masterplan proposals, MVRDV is just one of two whose submissions remain subject to further consideration together with Henning Larsen.

A traditional district in Kreuzberg which once hosted Berlin’s Philharmonie and David Bowie’s music studio, Hafenplatz is now home to one of the capital’s most diverse communities, but the quarter is in urgent need of affordable housing within one of the city’s most rapidly evolving and dynamic areas. As a result of the vast urban renewal project “International Building Exhibition Berlin”, in 1987 a courtyard and plant-based grey water treatment plant was installed in Hafenplatz. Now recognised as a cultural monument, it is nonetheless in need of restoration and enhancement. MVRDV’s proposals will ensure that this symbol of German renewal sits at the heart of the proposed “Kulturhafen”.

The presentation will happen on site at WERFT, Hafenplatz 6, 10963 Berlin, between 17:00-21:00, and it forms part of a broader evening workshop on the future of Hafenplatz, delivered in collaboration with a number of stakeholders including Urbanizers, a:dks, Artprojekt, and Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg District Council.

The invited audience, including existing tenants and experts, will engage with Nathalie, debating on local history and culture, sustainability and the role of public space. She will illustrate how adding density to the neighbourhood will deliver sustainable and much needed housing diversity, together with an array of amenities and spaces for social, cultural, and commercial enterprises.

By better connecting Hafenplatz with its surroundings and integrating it into the district, there will be an expansion of open public spaces, which will promote community engagement, allowing neighbours to participate and contribute to the development of a more vibrant, green and thriving community.

Together with Nathalie de Vries, Verena Lindenmayer (Director of MVRDV Berlin), Sven Thorissen (Director of MVRDV DAS Studio), and Irech Castrejon (MVRDV Climate Expert) will be present to address questions and feedback from the assortment of experts and guests.

The wider Berlin public and visitors are invited to examine the proposals from 6-13 January, which are on display daily at BARK Berlin Gallery in Hafenplatz.

Public exhibition details

• Date: 6-13 January
• Opening times: Monday-Friday, 16:30-20:00, Saturday-Sunday 11:00-16:00
• Address: Bark Berlin Gallery, Köthener Straße 28, 10963 Berlin