The Kurzentrum is a landmark in Westerland, the largest town of the German island Sylt. The complex is located close to beach and seafront and has three blocks („Haus am Meer“, „Sylter Welle“, „Metropol“) with up to 13 floors. Inside, there are more than 500 apartments, mostly for tourists. Also, you find hotels, commercial galeries and a congress center. In the 1960s, local authorities in Westerland wanted to bring more architectural modernism to their island and planned another high-rise, called „Atlantis“, nearby. The latter was cancelled in the early 1970s by the regional department of the interior. 

The hotels and apartments of the Kurzentrum are crowded during summertime because the island Sylt is a very popular destination for summer holidays in Germany. The facades are in good condition, although the buildings and the commercial galeries look a bit dated. The commercial galeries would be a great spot for hip venues, temporary exhibition spaces, trendy shops or coffee bars, but there are no signs of gentrification.

Special thanks to Oliver Burgard