Berlin's Tempelhof Field becomes flashpoint in housing crisis as September election nears

A field with history

Tempelhofer Feld is a 300-hectare expanse in the heart of Berlin, one of the largest inner-city open spaces in Europe. It straddles the districts of Neukölln, Tempelhof-Schöneberg, and Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, with roughly 230 hectares of grassy plains still marked by the old runways. Originally a Prussian military ground, the site became an airport in the early 20th century. During the 1948–49 Berlin Airlift, it served as a vital supply hub for blockaded West Berlin, embedding it in the city's collective memory. The airport closed in 2008, and the grounds opened to the public two years later. Since then, Berliners have flocked to the field in fine weather for barbecues, jogging, skating, urban gardening, and open-air concerts, though in winter the vast space often stands nearly empty. The listed airport terminal remains one of Europe's largest buildings.

The 2014 referendum and rising housing pressure

In 2014, a city-wide referendum produced a law that bans all construction on the field and mandates its preservation as a free area. That law remains in force. But Berlin's housing crisis has deepened since then, putting the law under pressure. Recent surveys indicate that a majority of Berliners now support at least partial development of the fringes. Any change would require the Berlin House of Representatives to formally amend the 2014 law.

The Senate's edge development blueprint

Berlin's current government, a coalition of CDU and SPD, is advancing a concept it calls "moderate edge development." The plan targets narrow strips along the outer borders of the field, particularly along Tempelhofer Damm and Oderstraße, for dense residential construction. Architects have drafted 5- to 7-story buildings that would occupy only the edges while leaving the central meadows untouched. The proposal insists on a high share of subsidized housing, climate-neutral building standards, and space-efficient design. An ideas competition sketched a vision of up to 20,000 apartments.

The 100% initiative's unbending stance

The group "100 % Tempelhofer Feld," which conceived and pushed the 2014 referendum, categorically rejects any form of development. It warns that even mild edge construction would create a precedent, gradually shrinking the open space over time. The initiative promotes an alternative vision: expanding community gardens, sports facilities, and cultural programming without permanent structures, thereby keeping the field entirely free of buildings.

The September election as a decision point

The state election on September 20, 2026, has pushed the Tempelhof question to the forefront of the campaign. Parties now face a clear choice between amending the law to allow partial building or defending the 2014 decision. How Berlin votes will likely decide whether the field remains untouched or begins to host thousands of new homes.