More than work

What makes Berlin’s “smartest neighbourhood” liveable?

With 28,000 people working here, 6,400 students, 3,300 flats, and a growing array of restaurants, daycare centres, shops, and sports facilities, it’s getting livelier every day. There are many different reasons for coming to Adlershof Technology Park and to feel at home here. We asked around.

Gerdan Kücük, Gerdan‘s Café

She has been working at the café at Erwin-Schrödinger-Zentrum for seven years—she initially owned it and now works there as an employee. The café is named after her.

What do you like about Technology Park Adlershof?

It’s nice and quiet here and the area is green. There are many young people and students about and our guests are always friendly. I really like it a lot.

What’s special about your neighbourhood?

The area is full of institutes, offices, and labs—people mainly come here for work. However, things are developing rapidly, which is really interesting to watch. There’s also a volleyball court that many students play on. The shopping centre is also convenient.

What services, amenities, or facilities do you think are missing?

There is still a lot missing in terms of culture and sports. More shops would also be nice.

Gerdan's Cafe - Technology Park Adlershof

Roman Diekmann, student

He lives in Friedrichshain and studies psychology at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (HU).

Do you like the Adlershof university campus?

What makes this university location different from others is that it’s very green here, the campus is relatively self-contained, and there are sports facilities. The people I study with and I like to play beach volleyball and basketball after class. I also use the university sports offerings at the HU sports halls. We often go to Kaufland for small snacks or to do some shopping. We also like Gerdan‘s Café and sit outside in the deck chairs.

What defines the neighbourhood?

We are a good community in Adlershof, and we love the MoPs student café in the former engine test bed. MoPs is one of the few places where it's okay to be loud sometimes. Nobody lives nearby ... and we can party for as long as we want. In the middle of the campus, this is not always easy.

What’s still missing?

I would like to see more cheaper places to eat and an off-license, or Späti as we say in Berlin. Extending the U7 to Adlershof would be really good.

Institut für Psychologie (hu-berlin.de)

Carola Fischer, Berliner Tennis Club WISTA (BTC)

Like her son, she has been playing tennis for three years. The club currently has 360 members.

What do you like most about the tennis club and the surrounding area?

I love in Schulzendorf and only come to play tennis. It is a beautiful, quiet facility with a lot of green around, which is not so common in Berlin. The people are nice and it’s not so snobby. A family club.

What’s your impression of the neighbourhood?

I don’t really do much in Adlershof other than play tennis. From my work in real estate, I know that the area is very attractive for highly skilled workers. They find jobs here, it’s close to the airport, but you still have a lot of nature and lakes in the vicinity. This brings a lot of value to the table.

What’s still missing?

I think it still needs better access to the infrastructure, like expanding the S-Bahn service to cope with the stream of commuters. More importantly even: schools, sports, and education.

Berliner Tennis Club WISTA (btc-wista.de)

Megha Mohan,intern at BAM

She is from India, doing a PhD in laser spectroscopy, and is in Adlershof for three months.

How do you feel about the Adlershof Technology Park?

It’s a very peaceful place and it’s much less in a rush than the city. It is a special honour for me to work at the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM). It is highly acclaimed and offers excellent technical capabilities. I live only two kilometres away in Altglienicke, which is also quiet and green. My way to work goes along the Teltow Canal—where I enjoy the relaxing view.

What facilities do you use in the neighbourhood?

I go to shopping to Kaufland and the Asian market or I buy lunch at the small bistros and the fast-food places. I like to go for a spontaneous walk at lunchtime or after work. I went to the gym for a while. There’s a McFIT nearby.

What do you miss?

Oh, what would I give for a south Indian restaurant, but that doesn’t exist yet. But actually, it's beautiful here the way it is.

BAM Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung

Stephan Müller, resident

He has been living in Adlershof for seven years and works at the Berlin Treptow-Köpenick job centre.

Do you like living in Adlershof?

I moved here from Mitte when the houses of the campus estate were newly built. It's good to live here. To me, it offers a different quality of live and a pleasant neighbourhood. Most people living here work in the nearby institutes and enjoy the short commute. With the new tram, the connectivity has also been improved. I also like that a big, landscaped park is only a few minutes away. I like to go running there or walk my dog, Balu.

What about the cultural offerings in the neighbourhood?

I can’t think of much. If I go to see a movie or a play, I drive to Mitte. That’s what’s missing here. But maybe I’m the only one: Most people here in the streets have children, the streets are quiet at night, and people sit on their balconies and terraces.

Housing projects in the development area - Technology Park Adlershof

Jördis Götz for Adlershof Journal