321 apartments, a common goal, and a strong commitment to the future of living in Berlin: With yesterday's laying of the foundation stone for the "Zwieseler Hof" project, the wvm Group and GOLDBECK celebrated a significant milestone.
Around 100 guests accepted the invitation to Berlin-Karlshorst, including representatives from politics, administration, business, and the media. In the immediate vicinity of Berlin Zoo, the construction was not only symbolic, but also laid the foundations for a new chapter in urban living.
Dr. Clemens Paschke, Managing Director of the wvm Group Berlin, opened the event with a clear appeal: "In a city that is growing, we must not only build – we must also take responsibility. Responsibility for the neighborhoods, the people, the processes. That is exactly what we stand for here today."
The foundation stone was laid for a complex comprising 321 apartments – 147 owner-occupied apartments and 174 rental apartments, 30% of which are subsidized housing. In addition, there will be a daycare center, 800 bicycle parking spaces, and 120 parking spaces in an underground garage—a well-planned, urban residential neighborhood on a former industrial site in the heart of Lichtenberg. Construction is expected to take approximately two years.
A special moment was the speech by District Mayor Martin Schaefer, who praised the project with the following words : "321 new apartments and a new daycare center for Lichtenberg. This is good news for many people who are looking for that all-important place to call home. Karlshorst is getting a new neighborhood with social infrastructure in Zwieseler Hof . A densely sealed area will thus be sensibly developed and largely renaturalized. I congratulate the wvm Group on today's groundbreaking ceremony and wish everyone involved accident-free and speedy construction."
Dietmar Nöske from the Lichtenberg urban development office also emphasized the importance of the project for the district:
"There has been little new development in Karlshorst for a long time, so it's all the better that the Zwieseler Hof, with its ' ' (green courtyard ), is now creating a neighborhood that fits in well with the times. The wvm Group's tenacity in the approval process was impressive—that certainly contributed to the success of this project. "
With regard to the architectural design, David Fischer, managing director of the wvm Group Berlin, handed over to architect Tobias Nöfer, but not before emphasizing:
"Every property is not just a functional object, but part of the cityscape. It influences how we move around in it and how we perceive it."
"This neighborhood was not created with a stroke of a brush—it was a long, demanding process that required a great deal of imagination. For us as an architectural firm, it was a task that developed over many years and ultimately took shape in the Zwieseler Hof, a place that lives up to its name: a livable neighborhood for Berlin," Nöfer added later in his speech.
The construction is being carried out by GOLDBECK, a partner known for its progressive and customized construction methods with high architectural standards.
Dietmar Rekow, Branch Manager for Office and Residential Buildings in Berlin at GOLDBECK Nordost GmbH, explained:
"The project on Zwieseler Strasse shows that we can quickly and efficiently deliver modern residential construction with a focus on sustainability through element-based and modular construction."
The collaboration between wvm and Goldbeck was first publicly announced last year at EXPO REAL 2024. It is now taking shape: in addition to the Zwieseler Hof, a total of 413 apartments are to be built jointly by 2026.
After the ceremonial speeches, the symbolic time capsule was lowered into the ground, the buffet was opened, and on the construction site, it was clear to see what is really being created here: responsibility, trust, and commitment.
