SYNLawn®, a leading global manufacturer and innovator of sustainable synthetic turf, announced how the 24,000 square meters of artificial grass they installed at the Euro 2024 Fan Zone installation will be repurposed to benefit residents of Berlin. Between June through July 14, over 2 million visitors took advantage of the largest soccer fan zone - located by the Brandenburg Gate, Straße des 17. Juni and Platz der Republik - to gather socially to watch the televised games. The entire installation has been removed and the turf is being given a second life through donations to carefully selected recipients by the organizer, Kulturprojekte Berlin.
“Sustainability and philanthropy are priorities for SYNLawn,” said Wolfgang Beck, Business Unit Manager of SYNLawn Europe. “When we were selected to install artificial turf at the Fan Zone in Berlin, we committed to the City of Berlin to develop an artificial turf that combines all the innovations currently available on the market in terms of sustainability, so the turf could be reused as a playing surface in local organizations and facilities after the European Championships.”
The recipients of the areas in need of recreation space renovations were able to apply for the Fan Zone donations last spring. Following a complex selection process conducted by Kulturprojekte Berlin, the following institutions were chosen to receive the repurposed turf, which was cleaned and cut to fit the dimensions of each site:
● Arndt-Gymnasium Dahlem (Steglitz) - This secondary school playing field needs urgent renovation due to an unsafe and extremely worn-out surface.
● Sophie-Brahe-Gemeinschaftsschule (Treptow-Köpenick) - The mini playing field at this location is in poor condition due to its old and tattered turf.
● Erwin-von-Witzleben Grundschule (Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf) - The highly trafficked mini playing field at this elementary school is in poor condition and turns muddy whenever it rains.
● Kita Sonne e.V. (Marzahn-Hellersdorf) - The outdoor play area at this daycare facility is well-worn and in great need of renovation since it’s used for daily activities.
● Justizvollzugsanstalt Tegel (Reinickendorf) - The recreation space at this correctional facility is worn down with an uneven surface and only sand remaining in certain areas.
● Haus der Kulturen der Welt (Mitte) - The repurposed turf will be part of this cultural center’s limited-time exhibit, “Ballet of the Masses,” which examines how soccer reflects a variety of social issues.
● Bolzplatz-Initiative Berlin (Kiez Gesundbrunnen) - This is part of a sustainable soccer pitch project launched by the Hertha BSC to be used as a social gathering space and recreation area for children and young people.
"We collaborated with our sister companies, Polytan and FormaTurf, to specially develop and install the highly functional and recyclable turf used for the Fan Zone,” said George Neagle, President of SYNLawn Global. “The sustainable turf used at EURO 2024 is filled with natural material that makes it safe and durable for long-term use by the recipients of the donations from the City of Berlin. We’re proud to contribute to improving the conditions of recreational and social facilities across Berlin with the reused turf made from our innovative product development.”
Learn more about SYNLawn and its sustainable synthetic turf products at www.synlawn.com.