German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius greenlights €416 million secret expansion of Berlin’s Bendlerblock

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has approved a secret construction project to enlarge the historic Bendlerblock in Berlin’s Tiergarten district. The plan adds about 35,000 square metres of new space – offices, a large cafeteria and underground parking – at an estimated cost of roughly €416 million, making the complex larger than the Reichstag.

The project, awarded to German architectural firm Sauerbruch Hutton, is classified and only firms based in Germany could bid. Security rules bar employees with dual citizenship from 26 listed countries, including Afghanistan, China and Vietnam, from participating. The expansion is intended to provide additional workspace for the Federal Ministry of Defence, which currently employs about 1,600 staff at the Bendlerblock, while the main headquarters remains in Bonn.