The Venue

The “Urban Tech Republic” bus stop for line 109 is located right next to the venue.

In the construction area, students of the competition (and participants) will spend three days bringing the winning design - to be announced the day before the official start of "Textile Roofs" - to life. To ensure the success of this endeavor, machinery, tools, and materials provided by our partners will be available on-site demonstrating their capabilities through practical application.

Naturally, the lounge provides a space to relax, chat, plan, and to network for future projects, but also offers refreshments and snacks.

The History 

The history of Tegel Airport begins during a fateful moment for the city: in June 1948, the Red Army blocked all land routes to West Berlin. The Western Allies countered with an airlift, bringing in food, medicine, heating fuel, and everything else a major city needs to survive. However, the capacity at Tempelhof and Gatow airports soon proved insufficient. Consequently, work began on a new airfield in the French sector. Around 19,000 Berliners worked around the clock to get a new airport up and running from scratch. Just three months later, the first aircraft touched down at Tegel.

In 1960, Air France launched civil aviation operations at "Tegel North"—the official name for Tegel Airport at the time. In 1965, young architects Meinhard von Gerkan, Volkwin Marg, and Klaus Nickels won a competition to design a modern airport, "Tegel South." Their "drive-in" concept caused quite a stir: passengers could arrive by bus, car, or taxi directly at their check-in counter, pass through security, and—from the waiting area beyond—walk straight onto their plane via a boarding bridge.

The airport’s hexagonal layout made these short distances possible. In November 1974, the first passengers were able to travel from their car to their aircraft in less than 50 meters.

In 2019, Tegel "Otto Lilienthal" Airport was granted heritage-protected status. A year later, flight operations finally came to an end.

By 2040, the site is set to be transformed into a research and industrial park known as "Berlin TXL – The Urban Tech Republic."

Accommodation

As we meet in a former airport, there is (no longer) a hotel right in walking distance. However, some hotels are no further away from the venue than 10-15 minutes by car (Taxi).

For one of the hotels the organizers will provide a shuttle service (Holiday Inn Berlin) in the mornings (at 08:30 after the breakfast)  to the Urban Tech Republic.

Holiday Inn Berlin City-West

10 min. by car (Taxi) to the venue. U-Bahn Rohrdamm: is a 5-minutes walk away
Rohrdamm 80, 13629 Berlin
(4,6 km from the venue)

Sunday Hotel Berlin City West

10-12 min. by car (Taxi) to the venue. U-Bahn Siemensdamm is a 2-minute walk away
Ohmstr. 4-6, 13629 Berlin
(4,4 km from the venue)

Leonardo Hotel Berlin

12-15 min. by car (Taxi) to the venue. Bus 109 is a 2-minute walk away: + 16 min. to location
Wilmersdorfer Str. 32, 10585 Berlin 
(5,4 km from the venue)

For any other accomodation please contact:

Berlin Tourismus Marketing GmbH www.btm.de
Am Karlsbad 11  10785 Berlin
Tel.  +49 30 250025

Additional Berlin tourist information is available at Berlin Homepage.

Berlin in May 

Berlin, the capital city of Germany, has a long and fascinating history. It's acted as the home of a number of major governments such as the Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany. At the end of the spring, the month of May brings increasingly warmer temperatures and consistent rainfall. Average Values for May:

Rainfall

This month sees around 55 mm of rainfall, with that amount falling over 14. With a 40 percent chance of rain each day, it's a good idea to have the umbrella or poncho handy when you head outside. Check the local forecast each day to know for sure what to expect.

Sunshine Hours

Fortunately, the clouds are starting to clear up at this time of the year, allowing the sun to peak through to warm the day. You can expect around nine hours of sunshine each day this month, ample time to get outside and see the sights of the city.

Temperature

Though they aren't far apart, the average daily temperature of 14°C (about 57°F) is actually slightly higher than the nearby city of Grunheide. The difference is thanks to the warming and insulating effects of the roads, buildings and pollution in the city. As you're packing for your spring trip to this part of Western Europe, be sure to bring layers to put on and take off as the temperatures fluctuate from the early morning hours to the late evening ones.

The lows still drop down to 8°C (around 46°F), so definitely take a jacket or coat if you plan on being outside during the coldest part of the day. During the warmest parts of the day, the highs jump up to 19°C (about 66°F), starting to edge into the summer heat. This month's high is almost six degrees warmer than that of April, which sees a high of 13°C (about 55°F).

(information was taken from HolidayWeather.com)

Average Values for June:

Visa Requirements 

For some international travelers a visa is required to enter Germany.

During your registration process a Visa Invitation letter will be created automatically and is downloadable within your individual TR registration account. Please contact us, if your application requires more than the Visa Invitation letter.

Please have a look to this very helpful website, answering the main questions with respect to visa requirements.

General Forum & Program Questions

Where will Textile Roofs sessions be held?
Where will the TR Networking Function be held?
What is the cost of registration?
What is included in my registration fee?
What is the climate in Berlin in October?
Can I bring extra guests to the Social Activities of TR?

Registration Fees & Related Questions

How do I register for Textile Roofs?
What is the cut-off date to register for TR?
If I need to cancel my registration, what is the cancellation policy?
Will my details be published in the delegate list?
Where do I get the information on obtaining a visa to attend TR?