Building Networks – Berlin TXL at Expo Real 2016

From 4 – 6 October 2016 Berlin TXL was exhibitor at the EXPO REAL International Trade Fair for Property and Investment. EXPO REAL is Europe’s largest real estate trade fair and represents the whole supply chain of the international real estate sector: from conception and design, over investment and financing, realisation and marketing to operation and use.

Since 1998, the largest B2B trade fair in Europe features not only a diverse and bustling trade fair, but also a pioneering conference programme: across 100 conference sessions and discussions, and 400 industry experts discuss current trends and innovations. An ideal stage to present and represent the Urban Tech Republic at Berlin TXL. While the Brexit and its impact was certainly topic number one at EXPO REAL 2016, the subject of affordable housing and densification of cities was also intensely discussed. Projects and ideas on urban development were shown to an international audience and delivered orientation among the diverse network of different smart city projects around the globe.

With urbanisation being an unstoppable trend, EXPO REAL also focused on questions such as: What will life be like in dense urban areas? What are the challenges to urban planning? How will it impact the economy and the environment? Ideas for densification, development as well as the regeneration and expansion of cities were given a special forum at EXPO REAL: the “Intelligent Urbanization Forum” took – for the 4th year in a row – a closer look at these issues. Two exhibitions, one by Berlin TXL and one by Barcelona, each featuring talks, round table discussions, and guided tours, put the spotlight on the wide-ranging issues involved in promoting sustainable and smart urbanisation. The project and raison d’être of the Urban Tech Republic were presented on all three days at the special forum, while on Wednesday, 5 October, both projects were given an opportunity to let the audience in on the intense dialogue between the two cities: Dr Philipp Bouteiller, CEO Tegel Projekt GmbH, discussed with Permanent Secretary for Building and Housing, Prof Dr.-Ing. Engelbert Lütke Daldrup, and his respective colleagues from Barcelona, Jordi Bosch (b_TEC Foundation, Barcelona) and Jaume Collboni Cuadrado (Second Deputy Mayor of Barcelona City Council) what the learnings of the two projects were and the differences between Barcelona and Berlin in their path of urban regeneration.

Berlin TXL was also key topic in the “Cities and Urban Development Seminars” hosted by Prof Greg Clark, Senior Fellow at the Urban Land Institute. In the session “City Development without ‘The Main Event’: what to do if you don’t win or bid for the Olympics?” it was discussed among the representatives of Berlin, Birmingham and Rotterdam how the bidding process often becomes an important catalyst for a new cycle for urban redevelopment and investment – even if the city does not end up hosting the event itself.

But of course, Berlin TXL was not only a key exhibitor at the Intelligent Urbanization Forum: at the Berlin Brandenburg stand the Berlin TXL team represented both projects, the Urban Tech Republic and the Schumacher Quarter, as well as being featured in the panel discussion “Working spaces for the 21st century”. Again, Dr Philipp Bouteiller took to the stage, this time to discuss housing, work spaces and startups in the capital and the general strategies for the growing city with key players of the Berlin real estate industry. Thus, bringing home the debate on central issues within Berlin after an exciting three days in Munich.