Alteration: Round-shaped Objects of Cylindrical Form
In an effort to address Germany's growing housing shortage, particularly in urban centres, the repurposing of vacant office spaces into residential units is gaining traction. This approach, which capitalises on the high office vacancy rates in major cities, offers the potential for creating up to 150,000 additional apartments through conversions in the top seven cities alone.
One of the key benefits of office-to-apartment conversions is their ability to cater to the housing demands of students, young professionals, and expats who require flexible, compact living arrangements near university and job hubs in knowledge-intensive industries. However, challenges such as building structure suitability, regulatory and planning hurdles, and financial feasibility must be addressed to maximise the impact of these conversions.
Geographer Susanne Heeg is sceptical about the feasibility of office-to-apartment conversions due to property relationships and construction costs. Katalin Gennburg, an urban planning historian with the Left Party, argues for construction obligations, renovation requirements, and demolition bans in vacant properties. Meanwhile, Krause from the Ifo Institute suggests possible incentives for the construction industry to facilitate repurposing.
Targeting micro-apartments and student housing can boost the investment attractiveness and occupancy of conversion projects. Reusing existing structures reduces the environmental footprint compared to new construction and supports more sustainable urban growth. Conversions also improve urban vibrancy and revitalize neighbourhoods by replacing underused office space with living units, thus promoting mixed-use development.
Strategic investment and planning are crucial to overcoming regulatory challenges and financing conversions effectively. Encouraging collaboration between developers, city planners, and investors will be key to realising the full potential of office-to-apartment conversions.
Despite the challenges, the benefits of office-to-apartment conversions are significant. If more conversions were realised, it could reverse the price trend in the housing market and benefit people in the lower or middle price segments. Moreover, conversions can save 50 percent of resources, CO-emissions, and energy needed compared to new buildings.
However, it is important to note that office-to-apartment conversions are not a standalone solution to the national housing shortage. With a shortage of 550,000 apartments in Germany and at least two million more social housing units needed by 2030, additional measures will be necessary to meet the growing demand for affordable housing.
[1] German Housing Institute (2023). Office-to-Apartment Conversions: A Promising Strategy for Addressing Germany's Housing Shortage. Retrieved from [www.germanhousinginstitute.org](http://www.germanhousinginstitute.org)
[2] Gennburg, K. (2023). Deregulation and the Housing Market: A Critical Perspective. Retrieved from [www.leftparty.de](http://www.leftparty.de)
[3] Ifo Institute for Economic Research (2025). Office Space Utilisation in Germany: Trends and Challenges. Retrieved from [www.ifo.de](http://www.ifo.de)
[4] Krause, J. (2023). Incentivising the Construction Industry for Repurposing. Retrieved from [www.ifo.de](http://www.ifo.de)
[5] Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development and Building (2023). Deregulation for Repurposing: Enabling Residential Use in Office Buildings. Retrieved from [www.bmubau.de](http://www.bmubau.de)
- The conversion of office spaces into apartments, particularly in urban centres, may cater to the housing demands of investors, especially those interested in the real-estate market, by offering lucrative opportunities in knowledge-intensive industries such as finance and technology, given the proximity to universities and job hubs.
- The implementation of strategies like office-to-apartment conversions can potentially reduce the carbon footprint of the construction industry, as it involves reusing existing structures rather than building new buildings, thus promoting sustainable growth and investments in the housing-market sector.
- Addressing challenges associated with financial feasibility, building structure suitability, regulatory and planning hurdles, and property relationships is essential to ensuring the success of office-to-apartment conversions, which could lead to significant investment opportunities and urban revitalization in the real-estate industry.
