“Anita Berber Park” Berlin, Germany - Landscape Architect’s projects which improve the access to and use of green space for disadvantaged groups
Project by Henningsen Landscahtsarchitekten ParGMbH, bdla Germany
Originally a cemetery, Anita-Berber-Park covers 6,5ha between the former airfield Tempelhofer Feld and the street Hermannstrasse with its heavy traffic. The cemetery
had been closed for several years and not in use officially. With the creation of the park, the area became accessible for everybody. It is named after a Berlin dancer and actor who was laid to rest there in 1928.
The planning process relied heavily on citizen participation in order to develop the design – both in terms of functionality as well as aesthetics – together with its later users. The space is an important recreational area within the densely populated district of Neukölln. The park was financed as an ecological balancing measure for the construction of part of a city highway.
As such, an important goal was to achieve high species diversity on the park’s meadows while preserving its valuable trees and shrubs. The meadows were partially reseeded and are continually developed through a mowing scheme tailored to the needs of each area. The naturalistic park offers multiple spots for rest and play as well as a zone for free running dogs. Paths cross the park. Two sets of steps and a ramp offer access from Leinestrasse.
The design also takes into account the park’s historical dimension. The clinker brick walls sheltering the space from busy Hermannstrasse are covered by monument protection (listed monument) and – together with a plane tree avenue – date back to the area’s use as a cemetery. These remnants of the past are complemented by prominent trees. The beacons – also listed monuments – are remnants of Tempelhofer Feld’s past use as an airfield, in particular during the Cold War.
