On January 21, 2026, Alice Salomon Hochschule (ASH) Berlin celebrated the opening of its new extension building on Kokoschkaplatz in Marzahn-Hellersdorf. A modern extension has been built within direct sight of the main building to meet the requirements of teaching, research and university operations. In future, up to 1,700 students and 100 employees will find optimal teaching, learning and working conditions.
The new extension was financed in three parallel construction phases with a total volume of 48.6 million euros from the Special Infrastructure Fund for the Growing City (SIWA) and via the Higher Education Pact. The first construction phase was initiated by ASH Berlin with the purchase of the land and around 10 million euros of its own funds.
At the start of the opening ceremony, the President of Alice Salomon University of Applied Sciences Berlin, Prof. Dr. Bettina Völter, welcomed well over 200 representatives from politics, administration and the university. Among those present were the Senator for Urban Development, Building and Housing Christian Gaebler, the Senator for Science, Health and Care Dr. Ina Czyborra, the District Mayor of Marzahn-Hellersdorf Nadja Zivkovic and the architect Bruno Vennes.
Prof. Dr. Bettina Völter, President of ASH Berlin: "With the new building, we are expanding the campus of Alice Salomon Hochschule Berlin in Hellersdorf. This is where the paths of the population, the district's stakeholders, students, teachers, researchers and our guests from all over the world cross. We offer teaching, research and knowledge transfer in the subjects of social work, management and care, occupational therapy, physiotherapy and nursing as well as childhood education for prospective students at the highest level. We educate specialists in science and practice that our society urgently needs today and in the future. In this respect, the new extension is an investment that benefits everyone. My special thanks go to our employees, planners, supporters and not least the decision-makers in the Berlin House of Representatives and the Berlin Senate, who have made this project possible with great commitment."
Christian Gaebler, Senator for Urban Development, Building and Housing: "We are building for Berlin. In 2025, the state of Berlin will have invested around 140 million euros in science buildings alone. With the opening of the extension to Alice Salomon University, we have succeeded in further strengthening Berlin as a globally recognized location for innovation and research. The extension builds on the tradition of Berlin's Wilhelminian commercial architecture and at the same time meets today's requirements for climate-friendly construction."
Dr. Ina Czyborra, Senator for Science, Health and Care: "Topics such as AI and digitalization are shaping the current discourse. And rightly so, but a strong society does not live from technology alone, but also from people with attitude and empathy: from social pedagogues, physiotherapists, educators or nurses who take on responsibility and provide support every day. The Alice Salomon University of Applied Sciences in Berlin has always trained these urgently needed specialists - with the help of innovative teaching and learning methods and a high degree of practical relevance. The new building is therefore more than just a structure, it is a visible sign of appreciation for social professions and their central importance in our society."
The new building consists of a five-storey structure and an adjoining, characteristically curved high-rise tower with ten storeys and a height of 39 meters.
With around 42,500m3 of space, the new extension offers a wide range of rooms, including versatile seminar rooms, exercise and physiotherapy rooms, a childcare area, skills labs for the Bachelor of Nursing, communal offices in the tower and a theater seminar room on the 10th floor. A canteen with its own kitchen is located on the first floor.
Based on the tradition of Berlin's Wilhelminian-style commercial buildings, large windows and a pillar-like façade structure make the building's use as a university building visible from the outside. Inside, the building is characterized by clear circulation with numerous communication and self-study areas for students.
Particular emphasis was placed on accessibility, including the involvement of the Disability Studies department and the representative body for the severely disabled. A sustainable construction method was also implemented. The energy concept enables resource- and energy-saving operation; a photovoltaic system has been installed on parts of the roof area. The outdoor facilities include a playground, the so-called tree grove courtyard and a roof garden.
Contact:
Alice Salomon University of Applied Sciences Berlin
University Communications Office
Christiane Schwausch | Susann Richert
hochschulkommunikation@ ash-berlin.eu
Phone: +49 30 99245 426
Senate Department for Urban Development, Building and Housing
Press Office
pressestelle@ senstadt.berlin.de
Phone: +49 30 90139 4040
Senate Department for Science, Health and Care
Dörthe Arnold, Press Officer
pressestelle@ senwgp.berlin.de
