Borsigturm

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  Gate to the former Borsig site in Berlin. The Borsigturm can be seen in the background.

• Borsigturm

The Borsigturm is a landmark of the Borsig factories in Berlin Tegel. The tower was Berlin's first high-rise building and is a relic of a bygone industrial era.

Berlin got its first skyscraper in 1922 with the Borsigturm (Borsig Tower). It was built on the premises of the Borsigwerke in Tegel. At 65 meters high, it is not comparable with American models, though.

The Borsigturm was built out of a lack of space. The architect Eugen Schmohl planned it on a footprint of just 20 by 16 meters. Its basic structure is a steel skeleton. The facades are made of brick. Three cornices divide the building into three sections, each with three storeys. The high, jagged roof structure is particularly striking. This houses a ballroom. A further small extension completes the Borsigturm at the top. The nine floors of the high-rise building housed offices. There was a water tank on the upper floors. It was used for the water supply. The Borsigturm quickly became the landmark of the Borsigwerke in Berlin-Tegel.

Borsigturm as a landmark of the Borsig factories

Borsigwerke was founded in 1827 by August Borsig. They quickly developed into the largest producer of locomotives in Europe. The factory premises in Tegel were occupied in 1894/95 and then gradually expanded. The family business went bankrupt during the economic crisis of 1929, but still exists today after several changes of ownership.

Office building and shopping mall

The building was damaged by bombs during the Second World War. It was renovated in 1970 and 1990. It is still used as an office building today. In the mid-1990s, the Borsig site was redesigned by Claudio Vasconi. A hotel, office buildings and a business incubator were built around the Borsigturm. The old factory halls "Hallen am Borsigturm" are now home to a shopping center.

Information

• Address:
  Berliner Str. 27
  13507 Berlin
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