Major construction site in Weißensee: 1,100 students have to move!

Major construction site in Weißensee: 1,100 students have to move!

The Primo-Levi-Gymnasium in Berlin-Weißensee is facing extensive renovation, which poses major challenges for the school community. Around 1,100 students have to move temporarily because the listed school building from 1910 is becoming a major construction site for the duration of the work. In order to ensure teaching during this time, a replacement building is being designed on the Woelkpromenade to accommodate classrooms and administration rooms. The old building on Pistoriusstrasse, on the other hand, must be completely closed, which means that classes cannot be held during construction work. The total cost of the project is around 86 million euros. The completion date of the new building is still unknown, but the plans call for the contract to be awarded to HOWOGE in February 2026 and construction to begin in 2026. The new replacement building will act as a temporary solution, but will not result in additional school places.

The renovation of the Primo-Levi-Gymnasium must comply with the strict requirements of monument protection. Interventions in the historical substance are only possible to a limited extent. Once the renovation work has been completed, the old building will be used as an independent elementary school in the future, while the high school will continue to operate as a two- to six-class institution. The future capacity of the Primo-Levi-Gymnasium is estimated at up to 1,116 students. The plans are part of the Berlin school building offensive, which aims to make school construction in the capital more efficient.

Berlin school building offensive in focus

The Berlin school building offensive aims to improve the infrastructure for educational institutions in the city. As part of this initiative, a modular type program for three- and four-class primary schools was developed, which also includes associated sports halls. The architectural implementation of the so-called compartment concept was initiated in 2018 in a restricted implementation competition for architects, which was won by the Bruno Fioretti Marquez GmbH office. This design promotes efficient implementation of the spatial program and creates an attractive urban ensemble for future school locations. The modular plans are intended to speed up the planning and construction process by only having to completely design the buildings once.

In March 2025, new guidelines for the construction of new schools came into force, which were presented by the Senator for Education, Youth and Family, Katharina Günther-Wünsch. This guide provides binding requirements that are based on increasing construction costs and changing school needs. The adjustments should also integrate legal and safety-related aspects in order to achieve a qualitative improvement in school construction projects. A focus is on modern educational spatial concepts, sustainable construction and digital infrastructure.

Outlook on future school buildings

The Berlin school building offensive is supported by the establishment of an interdepartmental working group to identify further optimization opportunities in school construction. The aim of this working group is to adapt to professional standards in order to create new school places despite increasing construction costs. Ultimately, these measures are intended to help make education in Berlin contemporary and meet the growing demands of the student population.

The Primo-Levi-Gymnasium and the associated conversion and renovation work are not only an example of the challenges of the Weißensee district, but also represent the city's comprehensive efforts to make the educational infrastructure sustainable. The focus is clearly on meeting the needs of students and making educational institutions in Berlin fit for the future.

More information about the projects of the Berlin school building offensive can be found on the website Berlin Senate Department for Building as well as the vhw – Association for Housing available. You can also find details about the renovation of the Primo Levi High School here Development city.