Experimentation plant. A coal fired power plant as a new socio-ecological infrastructure

The energy transition and the withdrawal from energy generation with hard coal and lignite raise the question how industrial infrastructures should be dealt with in the future.
Previous plans suggest energetic and cultural conversions or a complete dismantling of the sites. For the Moabit power plant in Berlin Mitte, due to the complex and dense urban context and the resulting economical, ecological and social demands for the location, none of these approaches is sufficient on its own.

The design transforms the introverted industrial site into a generous public open space that links the separated districts of Moabit and Wedding. The area becomes part of the city­ by connecting Blue-Green lnfrastructures. To do so, two new park strips link the area with its surroundings: the Riverside Promenade becomes a new, representative connecting axis and allows the water of the shipping canal to be usable and accessible. In the south, the Track Park links the neighborhood to the Moabit district and shields it from the noise of passing trains through its topography.

The project is not based on a "fixed" master plan but instead, it implements a strong open planning structure and multiple coded and flexible rooms that can react spatially and programmatically not only to today's, but also to future ecological and social challenges of the 21st century.