Torhaus: From guardhouse to community space
Built in the 1970s, the 52-square-meter Torhaus was located on the part of Tempelhof Airport used by the U.S. Air Force until 1993. There, it served as a guardhouse for access to the site, as evidenced by the barriers at the entrance next to the building. After the airport closed in 2008, Torhaus stood empty for ten years. In 2018, Tempelhof Projekt GmbH and the thf.vision initiative signed a usage agreement.
After several years of somewhat precarious but colorful temporary use by the initiative—the building did not even have its own toilet—Torhaus Berlin e. V. was founded, which brought the development of the building more into the foreground. The building is currently being renovated in accordance with historic preservation guidelines. The impetus for this came from an initiative by the association, which successfully applied for funding.
Space for social projects
Funding for the interior energy renovation, which the association carried out on its own responsibility, was obtained from the Berlin Program for Sustainable Development (BENE) with funds from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). In addition, Tempelhof Projekt GmbH subsidized the renovation. At the same time, it also financed the renovation of the façade and roof. The renovation will create a multifunctional space in the Torhaus Berlin where workshops and meetings for various social projects can take place. This has transformed it from a guardhouse into a community space.
