Melbourne and Berlin strengthen affordable & social housing partnership through study visit in Berlin

Building a shared understanding of urban governance

Shared housing challenges and opportunities

Despite operating within different policy and governance frameworks, Berlin and Melbourne are facing remarkably similar urban challenges. Both cities are experiencing sustained population growth and increasing pressure to deliver affordable, high-quality housing while ensuring that new neighbourhoods remain inclusive, climate-resilient and well-connected. Throughout the study visit, participants explored how housing policy can support not only affordability but also social cohesion, recognising that successful neighbourhoods require access to public transport, green spaces, community facilities and opportunities for social interaction. Berlin’s Urban Development Plan Housing 2040 and Melbourne’s long-term spatial planning both emphasise integrated neighbourhood planning that combines housing delivery with social and green infrastructure.

An important theme throughout the visit was the relationship between housing and social cohesion. Melbourne highlighted that housing affordability, housing type and rising living costs increasingly influence people’s sense of belonging, participation and community wellbeing. The city’s Inclusive Melbourne Strategy and Neighbourhood Model therefore seek to strengthen social connections through place-based community engagement. Similarly, Berlin’s approach to municipal housing, mixed-use neighbourhoods and participatory urban regeneration aims to ensure that affordable housing contributes not only to meeting housing demand but also to creating diverse, inclusive and socially resilient communities. Participants agreed that future urban development should place equal emphasis on affordable housing, quality public spaces, community facilities and opportunities for citizen participation.

The study visit opened with a series of workshops hosted by the Berlin Senate Department for Urban Development, Building and Housing. Representatives from Berlin and Melbourne exchanged perspectives on their respective planning systems, governance structures and strategic priorities for sustainable urban development. Sessions on Berlin’s planning framework and the evolution of the city’s urban development provided an important foundation for the technical visits that followed, enabling participants to compare approaches to housing delivery, land use planning and metropolitan governance. These discussions also identified opportunities for future policy exchange between the two cities and for collaborative research involving universities and urban innovation partners.

Melbourne representatives had the chance to discuss with Christian Gaebler, Senator for Urban Development, Building and Housing, as well as to visit the exhibition “A City for All” at the authority’s building. Dr Marion Mienert,  Head of Division for EU and International Affairs & Events, explained to Melbourne experts the new urban development areas of Berlin.

Exploring municipal and cooperative housing and adaptive reuse

The first afternoon introduced the delegation to several examples of Berlin’s diverse urban development models. The visit began with a Baugruppe development, showcasing Berlin’s well-established model of resident-led housing, where future occupants collectively commission and develop their own buildings. Baugruppen have become an important mechanism for delivering architecturally innovative, socially diverse and often more affordable housing, while fostering strong neighbourhood communities.

The delegation then continued along Karl-Marx-Allee to Alexanderplatz, tracing the city’s post-war planning history and examining how different political eras have shaped Berlin’s urban form. A key highlight was the Haus der Statistik, one of Berlin’s flagship examples of adaptive reuse and collaborative urban governance. Once a vacant administrative complex, the site is now being transformed into a mixed-use district providing affordable housing, public administration, cultural facilities, education, social services and community spaces. The project is internationally recognised for its cooperative governance model, bringing together public authorities and civil society through the “KOOP5” partnership to create a neighbourhood focused on the public good rather than speculative development.

The discussions highlighted opportunities for future Berlin–Melbourne pilot projects exploring adaptive reuse of existing buildings, community-led regeneration and new governance models involving municipalities, universities, social enterprises and local communities.

Housing policy and municipal delivery

The second day focused on Berlin’s housing policies and delivery mechanisms. Workshops examined affordable housing programmes, cooperative housing, housing for specific social groups and the role of municipal housing companies in delivering new homes. The Melbourne delegation visited STADT UND LAND, one of Berlin’s seven state-owned housing companies, to learn how public housing contributes to the city’s response to growing housing demand. Participants gained an overview of Berlin’s housing market and the role of the municipal housing companies, which collectively manage more than 404,000 homes, invest in new construction and acquisitions, and help maintain affordable rents while delivering high-quality housing. The exchange also explored the challenges of increasing housing supply amid rising construction costs, planning constraints and population growth, providing valuable comparisons with Melbourne’s own housing priorities.

Beyond simply building homes, the company is responsible for ensuring fair and transparent allocation processes, complying with social housing regulations, supporting stable neighbourhoods and delivering high-quality housing that remains affordable over the long term. Participants also learned about the challenges facing public developers, including rising construction costs, planning procedures, land availability and financing, and discussed how these issues compare with Melbourne’s housing market.

The visit continued at Briesestraße in Neukölln, where STADT UND LAND showcased an award-winning development that combines affordable housing with high-quality urban design. Completed in 2019, the project provides 101 apartments, including subsidised housing, shared living and atelier apartments, arranged around a central courtyard that encourages community interaction. By integrating diverse housing types with attractive public spaces and strong public transport connections, the development demonstrates how public housing can support neighbourhood regeneration, social inclusion and sustainable urban development. The project also inspired discussions on future IURC pilot actions on affordable housing, mixed-use neighbourhoods and community-centred urban regeneration involving public authorities, academia, industry and civil society.

Integrated neighbourhood regeneration in Neukölln

Field visits through Neukölln demonstrated Berlin’s integrated approach to neighbourhood regeneration. At Briesestraße, participants explored how new housing development has been embedded within the wider regeneration of the Rollbergsiedlung neighbourhood, combining investment in housing with improvements to public space and community services.

The visit continued through the redevelopment corridor of Karl-Marx-Straße before arriving at the Harzer Straße Neighbourhood Management Area (Quartiersmanagement). Here, local practitioners presented Berlin’s long-running neighbourhood management programme, which empowers residents, local businesses and community organisations to shape projects that strengthen social cohesion, improve public spaces and support local economic development.

Walking tours through Körnerpark, historic Rixdorf, Schillerkiez and Tempelhofer Feld illustrated how heritage, high-quality public spaces and accessible green infrastructure contribute to neighbourhood resilience and quality of life. Throughout the day, participants reflected on how participatory governance can complement physical regeneration and identified potential pilot actions around placemaking, community engagement and local innovation involving municipalities, universities, businesses and civil society organisations.

Planning Berlin’s new urban neighbourhoods

Workshops on the third day explored how Berlin is planning and delivering a new generation of urban neighbourhoods. Discussions covered legal planning instruments, financing models for infrastructure and affordable housing, and governance arrangements for large-scale urban expansion. Participants compared these approaches with Melbourne’s growth areas, identifying opportunities for future collaboration on planning tools, digital planning processes and innovative financing models for sustainable development.

Visiting Berlin’s largest urban expansion areas

The afternoon was dedicated to Berlin’s flagship urban development projects. At Wasserstadt Berlin Oberhavel, participants examined one of the city’s largest new neighbourhoods, where former industrial and military land is being transformed into a mixed-use district with thousands of new homes, schools, green spaces and employment opportunities. The project illustrates Berlin’s long-term strategy for accommodating population growth while integrating transport, environmental quality and social infrastructure.

The visit continued to Neues Gartenfeld, another major development area that is transforming a former industrial island into a climate-conscious residential neighbourhood with affordable housing, sustainable mobility and extensive green infrastructure, forming part of Berlin’s wider programme of new urban quarters.

The delegation also visited Märkisches Viertel, one of Germany’s largest post-war housing estates, where ongoing modernisation demonstrates how large existing neighbourhoods can be retrofitted to improve energy efficiency, accessibility and public space while maintaining affordability for residents. Together, these visits prompted discussions on future collaboration around climate-neutral neighbourhoods, circular construction methods, digital planning tools and urban living laboratories involving research institutions and private-sector innovators.

Housing regulation and market stewardship

The fourth day’s workshop focused on Berlin’s regulatory framework for housing, including rent regulation, tenant protection measures and policies addressing the conversion of residential properties into short-term tourist accommodation. The discussions offered valuable insights into how different governance models seek to balance housing affordability, investment and urban liveability, while identifying opportunities for comparative policy research between Berlin and Melbourne.

Revitalising town centres and strengthening community ownership

The final technical visits explored neighbourhood regeneration at different scales. In the Lebendige Zentren Müllerstraße funding area, participants examined how coordinated investment in public spaces, cultural facilities, mobility and local commerce is revitalising one of Berlin’s historic district centres. The programme demonstrated how integrated urban regeneration can strengthen local economies while improving the quality of public space and everyday urban life.

The visit concluded at the housing cooperative Am Ostseeplatz eG in Lynarstraße, where residents shared their experience of cooperative ownership as a model for long-term affordability, democratic governance and community stewardship. The exchange highlighted the value of empowering residents as active partners in neighbourhood development and suggested opportunities for future pilot actions on cooperative housing, community governance, participatory placemaking and neighbourhood resilience involving public authorities, housing organisations, universities and local communities.

From knowledge exchange to collaborative pilot actions

From knowledge exchange to action: Housing for the Common Good

One of the key outcomes of the study visit was the agreement to explore a joint IURC pilot project on “Housing for the Common Good” (Gemeinwohlorientierter Wohnungsbau). Rather than focusing solely on increasing housing supply, the pilot would investigate how new neighbourhoods can be deliberately planned to foster social cohesion, community participation and long-term affordability. Building on Berlin’s experience with housing cooperatives, Baugruppen (self-developed housing), cluster housing, municipal housing companies and concept-based land tenders, together with Melbourne’s expertise in affordable housing delivery, place-based planning and neighbourhood development, the partnership will jointly test practical approaches for integrating housing, public space, community infrastructure and local services into new urban districts. The pilot will examine how municipalities can use planning frameworks, public land, incentives, partnerships and innovative governance models to support housing that delivers broader social value and strengthens social capital.

The collaboration aims to produce a Housing for the Common Good Practical Guide, including a comparative matrix of innovative housing models, policy recommendations. The guideline may produce an on-site exhibition, which may inspire other IURC cities to follow. By moving beyond policy exchange towards jointly developing practical solutions, the pilot embodies the IURC objective of creating action-oriented, transferable and scalable urban innovations that can benefit cities across Europe and partner countries.

Disclaimer: This website news item has been elaborated with AI support.