Berlin
TechnoCampus
Berlin, Germany / 01.2019 - 12.2020
On the site of the former Siemens factory in Berlin, Wernerwerk XV used to manufacture generators, transformers, engines, turbines and ship screws, etc. from 1930 to 1988. Seven years ago, TechnoCampus Berlin moved into the former Siemens AG buildings, where it has since been providing a home for innovative companies. The original heritage-listed clinker brick building, which served as the heart of the Siemens complex from 1924 to 1941, is currently being expanded by 60,000m² to provide additional contemporary new buildings for offices.
Facts & Figures
Company
PORR Spezialtiefbau GmbH
Type
Foundations
Runtime
01.2019 - 12.2020
Atlas piles for the expansion of commercial and office buildings in Siemensstadt
Expansion of a historic industrial site
The listed existing buildings of the former Siemensstadt are being complemented by new developments. As part of this project, additional office space totalling around 60,000 m² is being created. As early as 2018, the foundation planning was supported by early-stage planning assistance and cost estimates. At the end of 2019, PORR, as the main contractor, commissioned PORR special civil engineering to carry out the pile foundation works.
Atlas piles for three new buildings
A total of around 880 Atlas piles were installed for the foundations of two office buildings and a multi-storey car park. The full displacement drilled piles have diameters of 41 cm and 51 cm and reached depths of up to 11 m. The foundations were designed to withstand the structural loads as well as to meet the site’s geotechnical conditions.
Foundations on an industrial site
Some areas of the project site had contaminated soil. A full-displacement pile system was therefore selected for the foundations. With this method, the existing soil remains in the subsoil, as no excavated material is removed during pile fabrication. At the same time, heritage protection requirements had to be taken into account, as the new buildings are situated in the vicinity of historic existing buildings.
Planning and execution for the inner-city environment
The atlas piles were driven in the vicinity of listed existing buildings. During construction, the piles’ installation parameters were measured using measurement technology and documented. The foundations installed were tailored to the local site conditions of the construction project. The full-displacement pile method used does not require the removal of drill cuttings and was employed taking into account the ground conditions as well as the adjacent existing buildings.
The foundation for the new TechnoCampus development
The installation of around 880 atlas piles laid the groundwork for the expansion of TechnoCampus Berlin. The pile foundation forms the basis for the construction of the new office buildings and the multi-storey car park on the former Siemens site.Early planning stages
The then Franki Grundbau was involved in the acquisition process, offering advice to the client along with comprehensive planning services and cost estimation for the planned construction of foundations for the office building. At the end of 2019, PORR as main contractor contracted PORR Spezialtiefbau to complete the pile foundation works.
Waste disposal costs reduced
The old brick building is under heritage protection and therefore additional measures were required to ensure the preservation of the building.
Moreover, certain areas of the site soil were contaminated by industrial waste. Accordingly, in the early planning stages, the concept of vibration-free foundations with fully-extruded bored piles, the Atlas system with no drill driving, was proposed to reduce the costs of removing contaminated soil.
Pile foundations for three buildings
Our contract included the installation of a total 880 Atlas piles in the new construction of two office towers and a parking complex.