About us
A house with history – a place for encounter
The ALTE TURNHALLE BERLIN combines listed architecture with modern party culture. What was once a place of structured movement is now a stage for special encounters.
A place with history
Function
"School palace" as an expression of the socialist educational ambition.
Style
Socialist Classicism within the context of Stalinist architecture.
Special feature
Representative building standards amidst the economic tensions of the early GDR.
Materials & Techniques
Travertine, stone inlays, stucco work, sgraffito bands, artificial stone, fine plaster, precious wood.
The former Max Kreuziger Elementary School, with its freestanding gymnasium, was built between 1950 and 1954 according to designs by architect Hans Schmidt as a prestigious "school palace." The construction reflected the ambition not only to approach education functionally but also to give it architectural visibility and importance. Generous ceiling heights, clear axes, and high-quality materials still characterize the building today, conveying the special status that school and community held during this era. The gymnasium was deliberately presented as an independent, prestigious space – not just as a place for sports, but also as a space for encounters, community, and public life.
From the classroom to a place of encounter
What was once a place of structured movement is now a free space – and at the same time a stage for special encounters.
The building complex of over 2,500 m² with its summer garden has been redesigned since 2017 in cooperation with the Berlin collective Intothewoods, local carpentry and metal workshops, and the lively urban gardening community at the Ostkreuz S-Bahn station under the direction of the Alte Turnhalle team:
Sealed surfaces gave way to a living soil structure made of special substrate in which shrubs, regional fruit trees, and native wild perennials grow today.
Wave-like wooden installations, black locust trunks, areas made of regional colored gravel, and organic bed shapes dissolve sharp edges and create seamless transitions.
The idea behind it is simple – and radical at the same time:
Nature reclaims.
This principle continues on the inside:
Wood, steel, repurposed greenery, and natural materials define the space, echoing the organic forms of the garden.
The hall opens up visually and atmospherically to the outside – boundaries blur, indoor and outdoor spaces merge, forming a cohesive, living environment.
The installation “The Phoenix and the Moss” by Maria Ivanenko in the hall is symbolic of this transformation: the dying of the old and the immediate rebirth of the new.
The Alte Turnhalle no longer exists in its original form as a school gym – but as a place that is constantly evolving.
In the heart of the city, a space is thus created that consciously fits into the urban rhythm – and at the same time interrupts it.
A place that unites opposites: tranquility and liveliness. Retreat and congregation.
Here, not only quiet moments are created, but also special occasions: weddings, celebrations, and events that are sustained by the history of the place – while simultaneously adding new chapters to it.
A place where conversations grow longer again, time loses its significance, and for a moment what is often missing in everyday life is created: genuine connection – to nature and to one another.
Address
Alte Turnhalle Berlin
Holteistraße 6-9
10245 Berlin
Google Maps
S-Bahn (Ostkreuz)
Tram (Boxhagener Str./Holteistraße)
Contact
For event & general inquiries
+ 49 (0)30 293 648 16
Reception on site for delays
+ 49 (0)30 629 38885
Opening hours
Summer garden:
Monday-Friday 3:00 PM-11:30 PM
Saturday-Sunday: 3:00 PM-11:30 PM
Brunch with live music:
Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays:
10:00 AM-3:00 PM