Upbeat, Berlin

Working in a consortium with Ludwig Freytag, the PORR Spezialtiefbau team is constructing the watertight construction pit for the Upbeat landmark office tower in Berlin, which will house a two-storey underground car park and the bulk of the building services. A total of 132 car parking spaces with their own charging facilities and 300 bicycle parking spaces will be available to users upon completion, which is scheduled for 2025.   

Landmark office building to the north of Europacity  

The three-part detached building designed by Jan Kleihues is located directly on the northern harbour basin of the Berlin-Spandau shipping canal. It will form a striking cornerstone of the new Europacity district, which extends over an area of around 60 hectares starting just north of Berlin central station. The lowest section of the building will have five floors. The middle building will have 11 floors and stand beside an 82-metre tower block with 19 floors. The Upbeat tower features a star-shaped floor plan and intricately louvred, curved facades, with spectacular views from every angle.  

PORR scores points with environmentally friendly processes  

The project developer CA Immo worked with the architects and specialist planners to optimise the indoor ambience, energy requirements and sustainability of the building down to the smallest detail. PORR Spezialtiefbau is making a significant contribution to lowering carbon emissions by producing an environmentally friendly soft gel slab instead of a jet-grouted slab as originally planned. This procedure has general type approval from DIBt and has an excellent carbon footprint due to considerably reduced use of cement and transport requirements. In addition, it produces no return slurry. Perimeter insulation below the floor slab prevents thermal bridges and also has a positive impact on the energy balance.

The contract for the construction pit enclosure comprises the production of a total of 4,800m² of diaphragm wall with widths of 60cm and 120cm as well as 5,800m² of organic soft gel base. A total of 2,700m of temporary strand anchors will secure the diaphragm walls against deformation. In addition, 54 shaft-grouted bored piles will be installed to a depth of 29m to transfer the high loads from the buildings into the ground.