[Commuting Hell Liberation Diary]⑥ Bringing Residence and Vitality Together to the Old Downtown... Visiting 'Hakesheo Hoepe'

1st Floor Commercial, Mixed Residential from 2nd Floor
Model Case for Area Revitalization + Urban Housing Supply

The Mitte district, located in the heart of Berlin, Germany, is a central area where numerous shops, museums, and major tourist attractions gather. Here lies an architectural complex called 'Hackesche H?fe.' It is named after the nearby Hackescher Markt. The word 'H?fe' can be translated into Korean as courtyard or atrium.

After getting off at Hackescher Markt station and walking north for less than five minutes, Hackesche H?fe appeared across the street. The neatly arranged signs of luxury and casual brands in calm tones caught the eye at once. It was hard to imagine that actual residences for Berlin citizens, not hotels, were located here. Many famous stores were housed, and since the surrounding area is a tourist spot, tens of thousands of tourists would come and go daily.

Panoramic view of the Hakesher Hoepe building complex. There are a total of 8 courtyards.

Courtyard Guide Map at the Entrance of Hakesher Hoepae

"At 10 o'clock, the commercial facilities close. Entry by outsiders is prohibited." This is what David S. Kastner said. He is the CEO of PentaNex, the real estate management company that operates and manages Hackesche H?fe. On the 12th of last month (local time), we toured various parts of Hackesche H?fe with CEO Kastner.

The biggest feature of Hackesche H?fe is that it is a complex of buildings connected by eight courtyards. When it was built in 1906, it was noted as an innovative architectural model. It survived the destruction in Berlin during World Wars I and II but was neglected for a long time during the East German era and was merely an old building that did not attract much attention. It was remodeled in the mid-1990s and established itself as a successful model of mixed-use facilities and urban regeneration. Hackesche H?fe houses various brand stores, cafes, restaurants, a cinema, and residences. Commercial facilities are on the first floor, with residential areas above. The area where Hackesche H?fe is located can be compared to the heart of Myeongdong or Hongdae in Korea. It is a place where commercial and residential spaces coexist in the middle of a bustling downtown.

Get off at Hackescher Markt station and walk north for a short while to see the full facade of Hackescher H?fe.

The front of the building was filled with famous shops. Passing through the entrance between them, the first courtyard appeared. Restaurants, a cinema, and a watch shop were visible. The uniquely styled ceramic tiles on the walls sparkled brightly in the sunlight. CEO Kastner said, "The tiles attached there were also made by a store located here."

The curiosity about 'residences in the heart of the city' was immediately resolved in the first courtyard. "Among the eight courtyards, two do not have residential spaces. Only commercial and office facilities are located there." The first courtyard, which serves as the entrance to Hackesche H?fe, and the connected second courtyard do not have residences because too many people come and go. In the buildings surrounding the third to eighth courtyards, a total of 103 residences are provided. Originally there were 80, but 23 new ones were built.

Hakesheo Hoipae consists of commercial facilities on the first floor and residential facilities from the second floor onward.

"All residents living here are tenants." The prejudice that residences in the heart of the city would be expensive and noisy was broken with each courtyard passed. The rent for residences was 15 euros per square meter. Prices vary depending on area, floor, and location; the cheaper ones are 10 euros per square meter, and the more expensive ones are 17 euros. CEO Kastner said, "We adjust the rent to be slightly above the Berlin average but not significantly deviating from it." As of 2021, the Berlin average was just over 10 euros, so considering the location, it was not particularly expensive.

The arrangement of shops and residences was made with the welfare of residents in mind. Shops in the third to eighth courtyards share a common feature: they are quiet. They include shoemakers, leather workshops, lingerie companies, and souvenir shops, all businesses that generate little noise. Hackesche H?fe attracts over 2 million visitors annually. The reason so many tourists visit every year is the competitiveness of the shops located here.

Ampelmann, a symbol of East-West German unity and the mascot of Berlin.

The first 'Ampelmann' store started right here. The word combines the German words for traffic light (Ampel) and man (Mann), originally the East German traffic light symbol. The character business using Ampelmann, depicted as a chubby man wearing a bowler hat, quickly captured the hearts of Germans and people worldwide. Ampelmann became a symbol of unified Germany and an icon representing Berlin. Some people visit Hackesche H?fe just to see Ampelmann. "The effort to pursue the uniqueness of Hackesche H?fe is ongoing. The success factor is maintaining consistency in concept while continuously embracing new trends," said CEO Kastner.

David Kastner, CEO, is explaining about Hakesher Hofe.

The exquisite coexistence of commercial and residential spaces was achieved through a thorough strategy. CEO Kastner said, "The public sector should support but not interfere." He called this another secret to Hackesche H?fe's success. He explained, "In the past, there were cases where the public and private sectors jointly carried out renovation projects, but they failed to complete the renovations successfully and did not supply residences properly." He continued, "There are cases where the public sector handled funding (loans) and thoroughly delegated to private companies. This place is a representative example." CEO Kastner added, "If it is a mixed-use project rather than simply building rental housing, it is especially difficult for the public sector to handle, and it must be entrusted to the private sector."

Berlin once aspired to be "a poor but sexy city." This was said by Klaus Wowereit, who served as Berlin's mayor from 2001 to 2014. But now Berlin is no longer poor and can simply be a sexy city. Hackesche H?fe was a fitting symbol of that.

※This project was supported by the Press Promotion Fund, funded by government advertising fees.