Berlin Wholesale Market
For more than 50 years, the Berlin wholesale market has been supplying fresh fruit and vegetables, meat and fish, dairy products, and delicatessen to markets and restaurants in the Berlin-Brandenburg region, as well as flowers and plants to florists. Largely unnoticed by the public, the 30-hectare site forms an “island” on the edge of the city center, surrounded by rail tracks, a canal, and busy Beusselstrasse. The feasibility study prepared by HENN proposes a reorganization of the site to open the wholesale market to the city and transform it into an active part of social life.
The ever-increasing volume of goods being handled also imposes more demanding requirements on the existing buildings and site infrastructure. HENN’s design proposes a network of highly efficient new additions and refurbished existing buildings interconnected by a smart logistics system, combining the latest advances in food technology, mobility, and sustainability.
The master plan divides the wholesale market site into three zones: the core market, a publicly accessible area to the east, and an extension area to the west. The core market is the centerpiece of the site. When merchants arrive each night and the market comes to life, a central axis connecting all market halls provides a clear, coherent structure. A consistent building grid makes it possible to create flexible, adaptable areas comprising modules for delivery, production, storage, and sales. Delivery vehicles are routed around the central halls via an access ring road.
To the east, on Beusselstrasse, the master plan opens the market previously reserved for wholesale business to the urban neighborhood via a new entrance building – a market hall that provides Berliners with direct access to fresh food at market stalls and restaurants. Other buildings linking the entrance building to the core market accommodate offices for market administration and management, a canteen, and common rooms for merchants and the Berliner Tafel food bank.
The sustainability concept includes carbon-neutral disassembly and construction of new buildings. A holistic energy concept combines energy supply from various sources, unlocks synergies, and incorporates on-site power generation. Desealed areas and green retention roofs use stormwater and enhance the microclimate.
The master plan should provide the foundation for decades of forward-looking planning for the Berlin wholesale market at its inner-city location. The new entrance building expresses its significance as an essential element of the new food strategy with a stronger focus on local and regional sourcing, sustainability, fair and equitable business practices, and health. The proposed design aims to make the Berlin wholesale market visible in its built environment to create an active focal point in urban life.
