Modellfläche TXL

The “Modellfläche TXL” project aims to establish an interdisciplinary center for club culture with uses of all cultural sectors and actors of urban practice and to create a new place for Berlin’s club culture on the site of the former Tegel Airport. This location will serve as a model for the transformation of unused areas, which will be developed into spaces for urban culture in partnership and with a focus on inclusion, accessibility and social participation.

At a time of increasing urban densification and rising commercial rents, the TXL model area takes on the challenge of creating and preserving publicly accessible spaces for club culture. In this context, the project illustrates how new perspectives for Berlin’s culture can be created through commitment, innovation and cooperation between club culture stakeholders, the administration and partners.

The former catering building (officially “Building I”), where food was prepared for passengers, is one of several buildings at the airport that exemplifies the architectural style of the 1970s: a striking, orange building. The TXL model project opened in September 2023 and currently uses the 3700 square meter area around the catering building, with a direct view of the tarmac and the former airport building. A section of the interior space is scheduled to open in 2025, which will allow it to operate regardless of the weather and seasons and create greater accessibility.

The endeavor to transform the area around the former catering building into a pioneering cultural venue reflects the desire to make culture more comprehensive and inclusive, to create a space that is not only open to all, but also actively invites participation and creative involvement and whose impetus comes from Berlin’s diverse club scene. At the same time, the project emphasizes the importance of Berlin’s club culture as an integral part of urban existence, the cultural landscape and the city’s identity.

The development of the model area TXL is funded by the Senate Department for Culture and Social Cohesion. This process is being implemented by Clubcommission Berlin e.V. in cooperation with Kulturraum Berlin gGmbH and the office of the Berlin Project Fund for Urban Practice of the Foundation for Further Cultural Education and Cultural Consulting.

Background to the model area

Berlin, the vibrant capital celebrated as a global center of club culture, is now facing critical challenges. A city known for its expansiveness, promotion of cultural diversity and creative expression, Berlin is now experiencing an increasing decline in the spaces that house its legendary club scene. This loss not only threatens the cultural diversity and openness that defines Berlin’s unique character, but also the economic dynamism that is closely linked to club culture. The constant rise in real estate prices and the competition for space, driven by the need for new residential and commercial space, exacerbate the shortage of places for creative development. This development hinders the growth of experimental and unconventional cultural projects as well as targeted support from the city administration.

The former Tegel Airport, once a hub for international meetings and a symbol of mobility, has undergone a metamorphosis since its closure. The airport was in operation for 46 years and managed the transformation from a gateway to West Berlin to the capital airport of reunified Germany. Originally designed for 2.5 million passengers a year, it eventually handled over 24 million people a year. The airport has been a listed building since 2019. Some of the buildings are now being used as part of the planned “Urban Tech Republic”, a research and industrial park for urban technologies and a residential quarter. This transformation is exemplary of Berlin’s dynamic development, which not only opens up new technological and residential opportunities, but must also create urgently needed cultural spaces. The reuse of the site, in particular the former catering building for cultural purposes, reflects the commitment to preserving and expanding Berlin’s rich cultural landscape. This site, once a crossroads of global connections, is now becoming a showcase for the local and international cultural scene, highlighting the potential of collaborative projects.