Project Description:

History
Originally built in 2000, the larger hangar served as an airship building yard. CargoLifters intended to manufacture airships for worldwide transport of large freights to inaccessible destinations. The company however went bankrupt before ever the first unit was produced. It was purchased in 2003 by Tanjong PLC/Colin Au and opened in 2004 as Tropical Islands.

(Re)Developer
Tanjong is a public limited company based in Malaysia who formed a consortium with Au Leisure Investments Pte Ltd. of Singapore to purchase the vacant hangar.^[1]

Outcome
Tropical Islands Resort is on its way to becoming a tropical destination in the middle of Germany. The waterpark set inside the hangar is 710,000 sf with a pool that can accommodate up to 8,000 visitors a day. It also includes restaurants, shopping, tanning, stage entertainment, daycare facilities, bars and overnight camping.^[2] The project (and its success) offers an interesting perspective on the reuse of even the largest of structures. It just takes a little imagination.