„Nucleus of Berlin’s most recent wave of industrial development“: Rudower Chaussee
The complete rebuild of Rudower Chaussee in 1997 marked a milestone for the city of science, business and media’s development. Now, following Adlershof’s overall development – especially that of its urban centre – the road sharpens the place’s profi le yet again. Lined by office and business buildings, shops, restaurants, and a shopping centre, Rudower Chaussee will turn into a veritable main street once the train station undercrossing and the extension of the tramway have been completed.
The Latin word magis means “large“, magistralis means “leading”. In German language, a Magistrale refers to a region’s main highway, but the term is increasingly used for international communication roads, too. What could be more fitting than to describe Adlershof’s Rudower Chaussee as a “Magistrale”, a principal thoroughfare where researchers and scientists from all over the world meet, where globally active businesses relocate and international real estate developers invest?
In photographs from the early 1990s, Rudower Chaussee is a double track road lined by trees and car dealerships. In 1995, the road formed the only link between the districts of Adlershof, Johannisthal, and Altglienicke. An already busy thoroughfare back then, the street ran along enclosed areas. In the GDR, this was an area with fenced-off factory premises and a network of private roads, with Rudower Chaussee and Agastraße (now renamed “Am Studio”) as the only public roads.
Today, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung describes Adlershof as “the nucleus of Berlin’s most recent wave of industrial development”. Rudower Chaussee feeds through this area as both its core and lifeline. In Rudower Chaussee’s first section, Deutsche Bahn and the Federal State of Berlin are investing over 30 million Euro in the reconstruction of the train station and the enlargement of the undercrossing. In line with the construction of the new bridge, Rudower Chaussee is extended from 15 to 49 metres of width. In future, stops for trams and buses will be located directly underneath the bridge. With a brick facework and a new light and colour design, the train station will soon become a prominent and attractive gateway to the city of science, business and media.
Initially backed by public funds, Adlershof’s development is now mainly carried out by private real estate developers who have taken the lead and invest on Rudower Chaussee. “Their interest grew with every kilometre of motorway that was being constructed in the direction of Adlershof”, says Ute Hübener, sales manager at Adlershof Projekt.
Coming from the train station, one will soon pass the “Medienfenster” by British property investor CLS Holdings with its eight-storey tower as a new gateway to the media city. A bit further down the road, EUROPA-CENTER AG, a real estate company from Hamburg, have started construction of the second section of their eponymous building. The building’s architecture is to become a milestone for the south of Berlin and will provide both office facilities and ample space for cafés, restaurants and the like.
On Rudower Chaussee’s other end, the new Audi Centre is being built. The centre’s 30-metre tower marks the western gateway to Adlershof and will be well visible even from the motorway. Vis-à-vis, the new commerce and technology park “Am Oktogon” is taking shape, located on a 55,000 square metre site and equally situated directly on the science city’s main road. Up to now, one may easily have assumed that the International Start-Up Centre marked Adlershof’s border. With Audi Centre and “Am Oktogon” this border is now being expanded and the area as a whole seems to widen.
Ute Hübener hopes that, in future, company headquarters and branch offices of international businesses will relocate to the core area between the train station and the western section of Rudower Chaussee. Adlershof Projekt have developed ideas and concepts that help visualise how these might shape Rudower Chaussee. They illustrate what may once become real: a high-density area with prestigious spaces and high-class architectural design, fed through by a busy Rudower Chaussee with shops, cafés, restaurants, the tramway and ample greenery.
“Private investors are interested in this place for various reasons”, says Hübener. “Among them are Rudower Chaussee’s urban infrastructure, an innovative and synergy-driven environment, availability of qualified staff, and the new BBI airport whose terminals can be reached within ten minutes from Rudower Chaussee.”
von Rico Bigelmann