State of Bremen at Expo Real 2025: impetus for a resilient and liveable city

The state of Bremen will be presenting itself with a strong joint stand at Expo Real in Munich, Europe's leading real estate trade fair, from 6 to 8 October 2025. On a stand of 200 square metres, 25 companies and institutions from Bremen and Bremerhaven will present current real estate projects and development prospects – from inner-city transformation to sustainable commercial development. 

The joint stand will be coordinated by WFB Wirtschaftsförderung Bremen GmbH (Bremeninvest) on behalf of the Senator for Economic Affairs, Ports and Transformation. The stand will be opened by Kristina Vogt, Senator for Economic Affairs, Özlem Ünsal, Senator for Construction, and Melf Grantz, Lord Mayor of Bremerhaven. 

Positive signals from the Bremen property market

Despite the tense economic situation, the property market in the state of Bremen is showing stable signs of recovery. Bremeninvest's Property Market Report 2025 shows that initial positive trends are emerging in almost all segments: international brands are returning to the retail sector, the quality of experience in prime locations is increasing and shopping streets in Bremen's city centre are becoming more attractive again. The office property market is also showing differentiated development: with take-up of around 89,000 square metres in 2024, it is slightly below the previous year's level, but demand for modern, ESG-compliant space in central locations remains stable.

Rethinking the city centre: mixed use, identity and new target groups

Bremen's city centre is the focus of this year's trade fair presentation. Among other things, the Centrum Bremen 2030+ strategy is initiating a comprehensive transformation process that combines urban development, social and economic aspects. The aim is to create an urban space with a high quality of experience, characterised by diverse mixed use, where housing, education, culture, gastronomy and retail intertwine.
"Our city centre is the heart of the city. It must once again become a place for everyone: for working, living, shopping, researching and enjoying," says Kristina Vogt, Senator for Economic Affairs, Ports and Transformation. "With projects such as the Balge Quarter, the Hanseatenhof and the Mitte multi-storey car park, we are creating the conditions for new uses, more quality of experience and vibrant neighbourhoods. At Expo Real, we will be showing how we are transforming our city centre step by step together with business and the local community – in a social, sustainable and future-oriented way."

Housing construction and urban development as key elements for the future viability of Bremen's city centre

Özlem Ünsal, Senator for Construction, Mobility and Urban Development, describes it as "time for a clear turnaround in our city centres". "To this end, we as the building department have launched the new Bremen urban development company "Brestadt" and immediately secured the largest key property for the city centre. The purchase of the former Galeria department store represents a historic opportunity for Bremen's central city centre property. This will bring a strategically central area back into public ownership and the Mitte multi-storey car park and the Horten site will be rethought and redeveloped together."

Özlem Ünsal, Senator for Construction, Mobility and Urban Development, continues: "Increasing the proportion of residential space in the city centre also remains one of our most important goals. With new projects, funding programmes and close cooperation between the city, private stakeholders and civil society, we are well on the way to developing Bremen's city centre into a liveable space with high urban quality by 2030.

The Hanseatenhof is also being opened up to new opportunities. Formerly occupied by the retail chain C&A, the property will be transformed into an urban mix of retail, offices and residential space covering around 20,000 square metres. Together with the neighbouring Lloydhof, this will create a cohesive axis of inner-city renewal.

Another example of the successful combination of tradition and future is the Balge Quarter between Obernstrasse and Langenstrasse. Four listed buildings – including the historic town weigh house dating from 1587 and the new Essighaus – will be brought together to form a multifunctional ensemble with retail, restaurants, education and culture. Among other things, there are plans for a building celebrating Bremen's famous Town Musicians and literature – a cultural highlight in the heart of the city. At the same time, the High Street Living project shows how city centre living and working can be intelligently combined. This project will see the creation of around 7,600 square metres of space for living, micro-living, co-working and retail in Obernstrasse. A project by denkxstadt GmbH is also creating new living space in Sögestrasse, with a revitalised commercial building that offers modern retail space on the ground floor and eleven new flats on the upper floors.

City of neighbourhoods: new impetus in the city districts

Future-oriented neighbourhoods that combine social diversity, ecological sustainability and architectural quality are also being created outside the city centre in Bremen. On the former Kellogg site, Überseeinsel is being developed as a largely low-traffic urban district with a total area of 250,000 square metres. This innovative district will also incorporate sustainable energy and mobility concepts, the John & Will silo hotel and a carbon-free ice rink. In July 2025, the project was honoured with the special prize "Conversion Culture in the Circular City" of the German Urban Development Award. This is already the third award for the neighbourhood, after the Immobilienmanager Award 2023 and the Polis Award 2024.

Another flagship urban development project is the TABAKQUARTIER in Woltmershausen. Since 2018, a mixed-use neighbourhood has been under construction on the 20-hectare site of the former cigarette factory, with lofts, new buildings, office space, a hotel, restaurants and sports and cultural facilities. 75,000 square metres of commercial space have already been let and around 1,000 flats are in the planning stage.

In Bremen's Neustadt district, the Hachez Quarter is being built on the former factory site of the chocolate manufacturer as a new urban neighbourhood with a gross floor area of 29,000 square metres. A special feature is the climate tower by Stadt. Energie.Speicher GmbH, which uses patented heat pump technology to utilise ambient heat and ensure a sustainable supply of heating and cooling, even in densely populated areas.

In the north of Bremen, another forward-looking project is taking shape with the Steingut Quarter. A versatile location for living, working and education is being created on a former factory site in the immediate vicinity of Constructor University and the Science Park Bremen.

Bremerhaven is growing with green ideas: LUNE DELTA and shipyard district

At Expo Real, Bremerhaven will also be demonstrating how sustainable urban development is implemented in practice. LUNE DELTA is a 150-hectare commercial and industrial area in the south of the city that combines economic strength with ecological responsibility and social sustainability. Lord Mayor Melf Grantz explains: "This combination is a decisive added value, especially for forward-looking companies and investors. We are laying the foundations for actively tackling climate change and securing our long-term competitiveness."

In the shipyard quarter to the north of the fishing harbour, an area formerly used for industrial purposes is also being transformed into a mixed-use neighbourhood. Around 6,000 flats and 4,000 jobs are planned on 140 hectares. BIS Bremerhaven is coordinating the development, a key project for the maritime city.

Bremen thinks sustainably: a responsible approach to construction

Sustainability is a leitmotif that runs through Bremen's projects – both architecturally and in terms of energy supply, mobility and resource utilisation. Many projects fulfil DGNB standards, use geothermal energy or heat pump technology, or rely on carbon-neutral supply.

Senator Özlem Ünsal explains: "Sustainability is not a trend, but a prerequisite for future-proof construction. Whether through photovoltaics, a circular economy or mobility concepts, our neighbourhoods show how climate-friendly urban development is implemented in practice."

SPURWERK, a new industrial estate on the site of the former goods railway station in Neustadt, is a prime example of this development: here accessibility, a circular economy and high environmental standards go hand in hand. A new office location is also being built in Bremen Technology Park with the TECHNIQUE project, which is to be completed by 2026 to the KfW 40 QNG Plus standard and certified with the DGNB Gold Label.

"At Expo Real, Bremen and Bremerhaven are showing how the future is being built – with ambitious urban planning, ecological responsibility and economic foresight," summarises Andreas Heyer, CEO of Bremeninvest.