War-torn, divided and unified.
History has undoubtedly impacted the urban structure of Berlin, and the city is still arguably divided to some extent. However, the unification process has enabled the construction of unique, centrally located infrastructure and architecture.
Third Reich architecture
Surely, the term Third Reich gives us terrible associations. However, we learn a lot from studying the architecture of that era. We find two significant works in Berlin: the Olympic Stadium and the Tempelhof Airport, both parts of a larger plan for Berlin. The Olympic Stadium from 1936 was a unique construction and is now a protected cultural heritage. The opening in its west end made constructing a new roof challenging, but SBP created a fascinating design standing on only 20 well-designed and contrasting columns. Norman Foster once referred to the Tempelhof airport as “the mother of all airports” because it first introduced a gate system.
The Berlin Wall.
Berlin’s division and unification have influenced the city historically, culturally, economically, and architecturally. During the Cold War, the two Berlins built ideologically typical structures. The wall’s fortifications created a meandering gap through the city’s core. During the decades immediately after the reunification, many buildings were refurbished, and gaps were filled with new buildings, slowly densifying and spatially unifying Berlin.
There is a great outdoor museum on the wall worth a visit. Its design is multifunctional: it preserves the Berlin Wall’s components, creates a great public space, and serves as a place for documentation.
City models
Berlin offers large-scale models to get an overview. Here, we will talk about the city, its structure, history and future. Photo: Fredrik Skåtar explaining Berlin's urban structure, history and future plans. Photo by the group.
Milestones
Berlin offers prominent examples of 20th-century buildings and works of contemporary architects. Many are milestones:
Neoclassical giants
Schinkel and Stüler were two architects who created Berlin’s first iconic buildings. Schinkel’s Altes Museum is a milestone for neoclassicism and the first to consider the human scale. His disciple, Stüler, invented ground-breaking lightweight technical solutions for the Neues Museum, which was high-tech for its time. However, the latter was damaged by the war but is now a great example of refurbishment made by Chipperfield.
Museumsinsel
Museum Island is unique: one of the world’s largest museum complexes, and 100 years of architecture. Here we find the neoclassical giants Altes Museum, Neues Museum, Alte Nationalgalerie, and the Pergamon. Additionally, the Berlin Castle has been rebuilt from scratch. Previously, the GDR’s Palast der Republik stood here. The new castle—the Humboldt Forum—houses two museums, event spaces and a new metro station. Furthermore, the island has a new reception building—the James-Simon-Galerie—designed by Chipperfield.
Siedlungen
At the beginning of the 20th century, Berlin’s lack of housing, in combination with new serial production possibilities, rendered new solutions: clusters of residential dwellings referred to as Siedlungen (pl.). These are perhaps the world’s first large-scale residential projects, but despite their mass production of components, architects such as Bruno Taut still put much effort into individualising them. This new approach gave way to the Bauhaus movement. UNESCO lists six such Siedlungen in Berlin as UNESCO world heritages, e.g. Hufeisensiedlung, Weisse Stadt, Waldsiedlung Zehlendorf.
Bauhaus and modernism
There are some Bauhaus jewels built before the Second World War, such as the Mies van der Rohe Haus in Weissensee. Still, more were made after that, setting the style for postwar modernism. In the heart of the city park Tiergarten, we find the Hansaviertel (1957 International Building Exhibition), where architects such as Arne Jacobsen, Oscar Niemeyer, Alvar Aalto and Walter Gropius have made great residential prototypes. Le Corbusier also participated, but his Unité d'Habitation was too large for the site, and the city placed it close to the Olympic Stadium. Additionally, Berlin’s Bauhaus Museum is certainly worth visiting.
Neue Nationalgalerie
Mies van der Rohe’s last project from 1968 is a modernist temple. Its transparent windows connect to the city. Chipperfield renovated the building until 2023. > at the Kulturforum
Philharmonie & Kammermusiksaal
Scharoun’s concert hall design from 1963 was groundbreaking. Based on extensive research and collaborations with acoustic experts, it was confirmed that no flat surfaces are parallel, ensuring a perfect music experience. Arguably, it is the role model for all concert halls. A true milestone.
> at the Kulturforum