Unique form of community ownership enabled long-term use of an architectural monument

ExRotaprint is a 10.000 m² building complex in Berlin’s Wedding district that formerly constituted the Rotaprint printing press manufacturing plant. In 2004, two artists initiated the process to take over the site from the municipality. They wanted to prevent the building from becoming a speculative real estate investment, and maintain it for independent creatives, social organisations and local businesses that were temporarily housed in the building. ExRotaprint gGmbH, a non-profit limited liability company founded by the tenants, was, after two years of negotiation with the municipality, able to buy the site and to sign a heritable building right with two foundations. Since then, ExRotaprint gGmbH manages the site and provides a long term home to an equal mix of organisations in the manufacturing industry, social institutions and creative people.

Business model

ExRotaprint gGmbH generates income by renting out space in the building complex. In 2020, this led to an income of approximately €460.000.ExRotaprint gGmbH is responsible for renovations and maintenance of these monumental buildings. Surplus from rental income is reinvested in this, yet, this does not cover the financial needs. In 2009, ExRotaprint gGmbH took out a mortgage of €2.250.000 against 4% annual interest from CoOpera Sammelstiftung PUK, a Swiss pension trust that invests primarily in sustainable real estate projects. In 2017, an additional €500.000 has been received from the Stiftung Deutsche Klassenlotterie Berlin. As of 2021, a total of €5.000.000 has been spent on renovations and maintenance. To complete the consolidation of the buildings, and to finance possible expansions, ExRotaprint extended the mortgage from CoOpera Sammelstiftung PUK in 2020 with another €1.500.000. In 2022 the next major step in renovation starts.

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