Berlin R.A.W. Gelände cultural site secured via interim lease

The Berlin district of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, the Senate Department for Urban Development, Building and Housing, and the owner Kurth-Immobilien have reached an agreement regarding the future of the R.A.W. Gelände cultural site.

The agreement includes a lease for the area known as the ‘Soziokulturelles L’ (SKL), which houses various clubs, bars, workshops, and social spaces. The district will rent the space for an initial two years starting in September 2026, with the option to extend for a third year. The annual rent is approximately one million euros, with 40 percent allocated to the maintenance and preservation of existing buildings. The district will fund the first two years, while the Senate Department will cover the costs if the third year is exercised.

In the long term, the parties aim to establish a development plan by March 2029. The goal is to create a mixed-use urban quarter that combines existing cultural offerings with new residential and office spaces. Once a master lease is finalized, the SKL is intended to be provided to a general tenant for 30 years rent-free to ensure the continuity of the site’s cultural identity.