Berlin, August 17th, 2026 (The Berlin Spectator) – Berlin is only months away from joining the global family of cities that have skyscrapers. It’s about time, also because this is the capital of the strongest economy in Europe, right? Should we have a skyscraper? Yes, we should. I insist.
A skyscraper needs to be at least 150 meters or 492 feet high. Up to now, not a single building in Berlin has hit that mark. Yes, of course, the TV Tower is 368 meters (1207 feet) tall, but it is not a building, but rather a special construction. The Berlinian, a highrise still under construction, will fall short of the skyscraper threshold. The same applies to the Edge East Side Tower, the Treptowers and the Park Inn.
Just standing there, on Alexanderplatz square, looking at the Park Inn, it does seem to be the highest building ever. But it actually isn’t. With its 41 floors and 125 meters (410 feet), it is a lot lower than the brand new Estrel Tower, which will be inaugurated in December. With its 45 floors and a height of 176 meters (577 feet), it almost reaches the moon.
High Ceilings
If someone broke it off and carried the building to Alexanderplatz, the Park Inn wouldn’t look that impressive anymore. But why does Berlin’s first skyscraper have only four floors more than the Park Inn? Higher ceilings would be the only explanation that makes sense. One thing is certain: The architects Barkow Leibinger did an excellent job.
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The architecture is definitely modern and unconventional. It includes asymmetrically arranged metal braces that make this building unique. It sparkles in the sun and it was erected within five years. Located in Berlin’s Neukölln district, between a shipping channel, the Autobahn A100, the Sonnenallee S-Bahn train station and the Estrel, it is impressive. Even without the new tower, the Estrel next door is a large hotel.
Ekkehard Streletzki and his son Maxim own the Estrel. They are the ones who piled up a huge sum of cash in order to have the Estrel Tower built. Initially, the price tag said 260 million Euro (300.5 million U.S. Dollars or 222 million Pounds Sterling), but the amount most likely increased substantially.
Best Part
Why would hotel owners want a new skyscraper? Obviously, to accommodate even more hotel guests. The existing Estrel has 1,125 rooms, a number which is about to grow to a total of 1,650 with an estimated 3,000 beds. Wow! They will need truckloads of bed sheets, blankets, coffee machines, cups, spoons and towels. One single Ikea trip will not do the job.
If they filled the entire new building with hotel rooms and suites, they would be able to accommodate another 1,000 guests. But they also want coworking spaces, offices, a conference area, a “sky bar” and a restaurant. Did we miss anything?
In December, the lobby and the hotel part will be inaugurated. The grand opening of the conference center is scheduled to happen in January. Areas for events will follow in the spring of 2027. The building management will get the best part of the Estrel Tower, namely the top floors 44 and 45. As a consequence, the “sky bar” will have to be installed on the 43rd floor, while the conference center gets the 41st and 42nd floors.
Initially, the completion of the Estrel Tower was scheduled for 2024. The construction might have been delayed by the Corona crisis and other factors. They did not meet the 2025 deadline either, but good things take time. And they cost money. Who cares? This beautiful building is worth every penny.
