ECE Group GmbH & Co. KG
Heegbarg 30 | 22391 Hamburg

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Planning and construction

Architecture & Construction

The European construction market is extremely complex and at the same time going through constant changes. Consequently, there is always the challenge of estimating the investment volumes of restructuring and new buildings early and accurately. Our decades of experience in this market help our design and project managers handle your project with the procedure that exactly matches your needs – regardless of whether in an individual or general contractor contract or, with increasing demands for early deadline, quality and cost management, in an innovative partnership model.


Competent interface between customer and construction companies

For ECE’s own project developments – whether hotel, logistics, office or residential property – ECE Architecture & Construction takes on the role of general contractor. As such we cover the entire value-added chain, from product development, master planning and obtaining building permits through to the actual construction.

The project-specific general planning contracts cover all architectural and engineering services, irrespective of whether construction is carried out in existing or new buildings, starting with the initial concept through to acceptance and rectification of defects. As those in charge of ensuring that the planning and construction services go smoothly, our Project Managers always have the overall project in view and act as the go-between for you as the customer and the planning and construction companies working on the project. A special focus here lies on the management of authorities and tenants.

Our aim remains at all times to work out the most economical real estate solution in concert with our planning and construction partners. Thanks to our strong network within the European markets, we always find the right partners for you and your task.

Our services in project management:

  • Design, authority and project management from conception to handover to the customer, including 
    • Technical and commercial project management
    • Tendering according to different types of contracts
    • Building site logistics
    • Property monitoring – and support
    • Acceptance
    • Controlling and consulting services

Project management for a shopping center
with international appeal

The Potsdamer Platz in Berlin is one of the most famous addresses in the city. Together with the investor Brookfield Properties and the general contractor Züblin  we are currently working on the complete repositioning of the Potsdamer Platz Arkaden. In an interview, Project Manager Tobias Wittke talks about his tasks within the project.


Three questions put to Tobias Wittke, Project Manager

Tobias, you are responsible for the Potsdamer Platz Arkaden, probably the largest and most exciting shopping center conversion project in Germany at the moment. What does this mean for you?

In the first place, a lot of responsibility! As Project Manager for Potsdamer Platz from the Architecture & Construction division, I look after the entire project management and project control in the construction process. In addition to managing the 20-member ECE internal project team, I am also responsible for schedule, cost, quality and contract management. In my role, I am responsible for construction contracts and stakeholder management and the interface between ECE and the customer. This means that I act as the link between our client and the various construction and planning companies working on the project. I’m usually on the site two to three days a week, directly coordinating the implementation of the steps with the general contractor and the client's representative.

How is the construction process at the Potsdamer Platz Arkaden proceeding? Which partners are working together here?

We have a triad: first, the investor, Brookfield Properties. Then us, ECE, as the classic service provider as part of the general planning. And as the third strong partner, we are pleased that we were able to bring in the company Züblin as general contractor in a cooperative procurement procedure. In a classic ECE development, we act directly as the client of the general contractor. However, since we act as a service provider at Potsdamer Platz, we as ECE do not have a direct contractual relationship with the Züblin company, but rather, as the client’s representative, take over the management of the Züblin company. In this case the general contractor is commissioned directly by the investor.

What makes the Potsdamer Platz project so special?

The special features are evident in the volume of the actual project size and in the extremely complex interfaces in the project, and they are also there with regard to the entire Potsdamer Platz Quarter area. The entire arcades run under six high-rise buildings, which are in use around the clock, and that use has to be protected – which presents us with daily challenges in the construction.

As a rule, we keep our construction operations going. In our case, however, we have closed the arcades completely, to ensure freedom of construction – with a few exceptions. Only in peripheral areas on the ground floor and in the basement will smaller rental spaces remain open, to ensure local supply in the area for the neighboring apartment and office tenants during the conversion phase. The construction task created by a conceptual reorientation of the Arkaden over a gross floor area of approx. 50,000 square meters is a huge challenge for me personally and for us at ECE as well. But we face it every day as general planners and in a team with the investor and executing company in a spirit of partnership and, in particular, as equals.