Berlin is set to reach a milestone in its architectural history with the completion of the Estrel Tower, a 577-foot (176-meter) mixed-use building that will become the German capital’s tallest nontechnical structure and its first true skyscraper.
Skyscrapers are structures that typically rise above 150 meters (around 492 feet), according to the Council on Vertical Urbanism, making the Estrel Tower Berlin’s first.
Scheduled to open to the public at the end of 2026, the tower will house a hotel, workspace, gallery, restaurant, and bar, creating what its designers envision as a new urban destination in the city’s Neukölln district.
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Designed by Berlin-based architecture firm Barkow Leibinger, the project marks a notable departure for a city long recognized by low-rise development and strict height limits.
Berlin’s latest achievement comes at a time when many architects and preservation advocates have argued that cities should focus on adapting and reusing existing buildings rather than constructing new ones.
Discussions around sustainability have increasingly centered on retaining the carbon already embedded in older structures and extending their life span through renovation.
Gordon Gill, the architect behind what will become the world’s tallest skyscraper, Jeddah Tower, previously told Newsweek that “the greatest opportunity in the United States” for architectural innovation sits within existing buildings and increasing their sustainability and efficiency.
Other architects told Newsweek on Friday that Germany risks losing some of its historic character if it prioritizes demolition over the preservation of existing structures.
Frank Barkow, founder and partner of Barkow Leibinger, says tall buildings can play a role in a sustainable urban future when designed carefully.
Speaking to Newsweek, Barkow said that while high-rises may have a larger carbon footprint initially, they can offer long-term benefits through compact development, efficient land use, and the ability to accommodate multiple functions within a single structure.
A Groundbreaking ‘Beacon for the City’
Barkow said that the Estrel Tower was conceived not as part of a cluster of skyscrapers but as a singular landmark within Berlin’s urban landscape.
“Berlin has historically kept to a 22-meter cornice height, with the exception of church spires,” Barkow said. “We knew from the start that Estrel would stand alone as a tower, surrounded by lower buildings that adapt to that historical context.”
Unlike cities such as New York or Frankfurt, which feature entire districts of tall buildings, he said the Estrel Tower is intended to serve “more like a lighthouse–a single beacon for the city.”
The project responds directly to the existing Estrel Hotel across the street, with Barkow saying the tower and hotel form “a new gateway to the city.” Rather than a standalone building, the development incorporates a grouping of lower structures around the main tower.
The design draws heavily on geometric forms. Because the site is not located in a historic neighborhood, Barkow said the team had freedom to experiment with triangles, parallelograms, and polygonal shapes, comparing the approach to a Tangram puzzle. The resulting composition creates what he describes as a “dynamic, integrated family” of different forms that engage with both one another and the surrounding city.
Sustainability and Construction Challenges
The tower’s “visually striking” façade features metal fins for solar shading, smart glazing, and operable windows, Barkow noted. The building will also incorporate low-carbon energy sources, water-retention systems, and a green roof, while being designed to maximize daylight and minimize energy use. The project is targeting LEED Platinum certification, the highest environmental standard awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council.
Barkow said one of the greatest challenges of building the Estrel Tower was logistics. The project required the pouring of thousands of tons of concrete, including a foundation slab three meters (around 9.8 feet) thick, in a city with little experience constructing buildings at this scale. To overcome this, components, including the façade and atrium roof, were manufactured off-site, allowing different phases of construction to proceed simultaneously.
Asked how he responds to criticism that tall buildings can have a large carbon footprint, Barkow told Newsweek: “That may be true in the short term, but over the long run, a tall building is far more compact and energy-efficient than urban sprawl.”
He added: “Height also brings programmatic flexibility. The same floor plates and circulation core can support hotel use, housing, workspaces, and amenities that shift over time, almost like a small city under one roof. And high-rise construction reduces a building’s actual footprint on the ground, freeing up land for parks, landscape, or other public uses.”
A ‘Precedent’ for a New Era of Tall Buildings
Whether Estrel Tower remains an exception or becomes the first of many skyscrapers in Berlin remains to be seen. But Barkow believes it could mark the beginning of a broader shift.
“We believe it sets a precedent,” he said, adding that Berlin needs tools that can create greater diversity, mixed-use development, and new centers of social interaction. Tall buildings, he said, are one part of that solution.
“Berlin can be both tall and true to its historical scale,” Barkow said. “That combination is the city’s future.”
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