Voices on the Current Situation at Berlin’s RAW Area
Scene Statements
The planned urban development of Berlin’s RAW area is once again creating significant uncertainty. Although clubs, socio-cultural projects, and sports facilities are currently still operating, a lot is at stake for many involved: the future of one of the city’s most important subcultural and socio-cultural spaces.
Between development plans, governance models, noise protection issues, and ongoing political discussions, many aspects of the process remain unresolved.
All the more important is giving the venues directly affected the opportunity to speak for themselves. We therefore asked them to share their perspective on the current situation, the development plans, cultural responsibility, and what lies ahead.
We are in touch with all venues, but have not yet received statements from all of them.
As soon as we receive them, we will update this information accordingly.
Statement – Crack Bellmer
Over many years, a unique cultural ecosystem has developed on the RAW site: small clubs, art projects, initiatives and a diverse community that help shape Berlin’s international reputation. If this place disappears, the city will lose not only individual cultural venues, but also one of Europe’s largest areas used for subcultural and socio-cultural activities.
The situation is complex, as the site is privately owned yet holds great cultural significance for Berlin. This is why we need solutions in which politicians, the local authority and the owner share responsibility.
In our view, the city must take an active role in preserving such places. They are part of Berlin’s identity and cannot simply be replaced. This is why there is a need for long-term planning certainty and a clear political commitment to protect and preserve cultural sites of this significance.
We have been informed by the district about the current status, yet many uncertainties remain. There have been discussions about possible developments for the site, but concrete timetables or binding prospects for existing socio-cultural uses have, since the start of the year, once again remained largely open-ended.
This uncertainty makes day-to-day operations considerably more difficult, as long-term planning, collaborations or investments are only possible with considerable risks.
Even though the legal and economic situation is difficult to predict:
We’re carrying on. We’re supporting one another – and we’re sticking together.
However, a place like Crack Bellmer – and certainly the entire RAW ecosystem – cannot simply be relocated. Such places are built up over many years through people, structures and a specific environment. That is precisely why our focus is on preserving the existing site and its cultural structures for as long as possible.
Statement – Cassiopeia
The site and the venues have not been closed. All clubs, socio-cultural activities, and sports programs are still taking place at the RAW area. For more than ten years, we have been negotiating with the district government and the property owner. The goal is to create a win-win solution for everyone through a cooperative urban development process. The SKL* (the area where the cultural and social activities are located) is intended to be leased for 30 years to a public umbrella organization.
In return, the property owner would receive the desired development approval and an increased building volume. Since this process is being applied for the first time, we have repeatedly encountered challenges for which there were no direct answers.
As a result, the process of finding a public main tenant has been delayed. At the same time, due to the high vacancy rate of office spaces in Berlin, the owner is now increasingly considering residential development – which poses significant risks, particularly for the clubs on the site.
What is needed now to save this process is constructive and collaborative work. In the end, this is about more than just preserving club culture on the site. The RAW area within the SKL zone is the largest socio-cultural center in Germany, located right in the middle of Berlin. If we fail to successfully complete this process, we will lose a place that could never be recreated in the same way again in Berlin.
This space is not only important for club culture. It also hosts cultural programs that are essential for the district and the city: youth and children’s programs, integration work, artistic projects, and sports activities.
All parties involved in the process share responsibility. After such a long period of negotiations, disagreements can harden or some parties may feel unheard. But we must leave this behind in order to develop the RAW site in a way that provides space for everyone.
There is a public visualization showing what the site could look like after development. Of course it would look different, and everyone may have different opinions about it. But this concept would allow cultural uses to be secured for 30 years – something that is otherwise very rare in Berlin.
As users of the space, we are actively involved in this process. We have coordination meetings with the district authorities and maintain dialogue with the property owner.
Due to the shift toward potential residential use, discussions now focus primarily on noise protection issues alongside the governance model. Studies are currently being conducted, and we hope they will show ways to enable all uses on the site without conflict.
Next to noise protection, the governance model has the highest priority. For a long time, BIM** was discussed as the potential main tenant that would lease the SKL area. However, there is still no political agreement on this matter. We strongly urge decision-makers to reach this agreement. With BIM on board, the process could move forward significantly.
Despite the tense situation, Cassiopeia and the Sommergarten remain open. Our concerts, raves, and parties continue to take place, and we are doing everything we can to make sure they will still happen 30 years from now.
An alternative location is neither being discussed nor considered a serious option for us. We belong to the RAW area, and we can also be a major asset for its future development.
Statement – Der Weiße Hase
First of all, thank you for all the support. It really means a lot to us and gives us strength.
Unfortunately, the situation is not as simple as it may appear from the outside. Neither the political side nor the property owner can simply be labeled as “the bad guys.” The political goal is to legally secure the RAW site as a cultural location in the long term. The owner wants to develop the area and says they are willing to include culture in that process.
Photo: Tomasz Guiddo @guiddolomo
The real challenge is finding a solution that allows both: development and reliable protection of the cultural spaces – without culture ultimately losing out. That is exactly where the dilemma lies.
This situation didn’t come out of nowhere. For years we have known that plans for the site existed, and there were discussions and proposals along the way. At one point there was even a model that aimed to secure the cultural uses for 30 years. The problem is that a lot has been discussed, but nothing has been reliably finalized. This mix of information on the one hand and a lack of binding agreements on the other makes the situation so difficult.
For now, we can continue operating – but without new contracts and without real planning security. The club is running, but we are still left in limbo. Under these conditions it’s impossible to plan a long-term program or make sustainable decisions.
And this isn’t just about parties. People’s livelihoods are connected to this. More than 20 employees depend directly or indirectly on the operation of this club.
At the moment, there is no reliable perspective for an alternative location. Right now the priority is simply to keep the place running and hope for a long-term solution.
* SKL – Socio-Cultural Property Area
The SKL refers to the section of the RAW site intended to be secured long-term for socio-cultural, sports, and community-oriented uses (clubs, cultural initiatives, sports facilities, community projects, etc.).
The term is used in negotiations between the Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg district administration, the property owner, and the current users to define and protect this area within the framework of cooperative urban development. The goal is a long-term lease – approximately 30 years – to a public umbrella organization.
** BIM – Berliner Immobilienmanagement GmbH
BIM is the state-owned real estate company of the city of Berlin and manages and develops many public buildings and properties.
In discussions about the future of the RAW site, the idea has been proposed that a public organization could act as the main tenant for the socio-cultural area.
The concept: the organization would lease the site long-term and then sublease it to the individual cultural, sports, and social initiatives. This could provide stable and long-term conditions for these projects. In earlier discussions, the non-profit GSE gGmbH (Society for Urban Development) was also considered for this role.
Author: Kay Barton, Rave The Planet Online Editorial Team
