Re/Inventing Berlin – Architecture After 1945 Alessa K
Re/Inventing Berlin – Architecture after 1945 Alessa K. Paluch [email protected] Consultation: by appointment Tuesday 14:00-16:00, if not on-site then: Hausvogteiplatz 5-7, Raum 0323-26 Taught in English, minimum B2 (with the Option to Write the Essay in German) At the end of World War II Berlin , the former capital of Hitlers Third Reich, was largely destroyed. But the area-wide destructions also held a chance: the possibility to rebuild Berlin as a totally new city – in modernists words: as a better city. And indeed Berlin changed dramatically – but not in the way modern architects and urban planners had envisioned it in the post-war period. Quite differing proposals were made in East and West Berlin. Especially for the so called Capital of the Cold War it proves to be true that architecture is a not just a mirror to the society which builds it – but that architecture also shapes the lives of the people living with and within it. Using examples such as Karl-Marx-Allee, Hansaviertel, Gropiusstadt, Potsdamer Platz et al. this seminar retraces the stations and phases of reconstruction with a focus on political, cultural and social developments. The most influential concepts of 20th century urban planning will be presented. In addition the seminar aims to be an exercise in (architecture) criticism.
Course Requirements for 5 ECTS:
• Regular Attendance Attendance Policy: You may not miss more than 2 sessions. The missing of a session should be communicated in advance via email. If a third session is missed a make-up-work can be arranged. Missing four times means failing the class. • Obligatory Reading Texts and Learning Material are provided via moodle.
• Presentation (about 15 minutes) Presentation's topic will be chosen out of the seminar's schedule at the end of the second session.
• Architecture Critique (1-2 pages) Requirements and Formalities of how to write an Architecture Critique will be discussed at the workshop „How to write a good critique?“ At the end of the seminar the critiques will also be published on the seminar's blog www.berlinperspectivesonarchitecture.com.
• Essay (5 pages) The Essay is meant to be a practice in academic research and writing. Students will be encouraged to find a topic fitting their interests and studies at their home university. Attention: There will be no excuse for Plagiarism – intended or unintended – and anyone who is find out trying to cheat (that's what it is!) won't be accounted for his or her work.
Educational Aims: At the End of the Seminar Students are going to be able to • contextualize Berlin's landmarks in Modern Architecture and 20th century history • recognize Post-War Modernism and Classic Modernism • become acquainted with diverse concepts and studies of Social Urban Studies • write an Architecture Critique
Special Focus: This Seminar consists of three method elements: 1. the „classical“ sessions in the classroom with students' presentations, lectures, group discussions and group work, 2. the on site-meetings, designed as attentive walks with a special observation focus and 3. workshops with a focus on group work, self organisational learning and presentation.
1. Sitzung Introduction I
Advanced Reading • Bodenschatz, Harald: Berlin Urban Design. A brief history of a european city. Berlin 2010.
2. Sitzung Introduction II: History of Modern Architecture and Modern Urban Planning in Berlin
Obligatory Reading • Bell, Daniel A./de-Shalit, Avner: Berlin. The City of (In)Tolerance. In: Dies.: The Spirit of Cities. Why the Identity of a City matters in a Global Age. S. 191 – 221.
Advanced Reading • Bodenschatz, Harald: Berlin Urban Design. A brief history of a european city. Berlin 2010. • Diefendorf, Jeffrey M.: In the wake of war. The Reconstruction of German cities after World War II. New York 1993. • Ladd, Brian: The Ghosts of Berlin. Confronting German History in the Urban Landscape. Chigaco 1997
3. & 4. Sitzung GDR: Karl-Marx-Allee – From Stalinist Architecture to Plattenbau The 3 stages of development *ON-SITE! Doppelstunde!
Obligatory Reading • Duwel, Jorn: 'Wir sind das Bauvolk'. p. 53-58. In: Wagenaar, Cor; Dings, Mieke; Linders, Jannes; De Jong-Daziel, Robin (Hrsg.): Ideals in Concrete. Exploring Central and Eastern Europe. Rotterdam 2004. • van Gelderen, Mikel: Unabashed, shamelessness Plattenbau, relic of the past? In: Wagenaar, Cor; Dings, Mieke; Linders, Jannes; De Jong-Daziel, Robin (Hrsg.): Ideals in Concrete. Exploring Central and Eastern Europe. Rotterdam 2004. p. 125-131.
5. & 6. Sitzung GDR: Nikolaiviertel – Reconstructing Medieval Age or Designing a kind of Disneyland? GDR: Gendarmenmarkt and Friedrichstraße – Projects for the Westerners Advanced Reading • Urban, Florian: Neo-historical East Berlin. Architecture and Urban Design in the German Democratic Republic 1970 – 1990. Ashgate, Farnham, Surrey 2009. S.99 – 141. 7. Sitzung Criticizing Architecture – How to write a good critique? Workshop
Obligatory Reading • Kil, Wolfgang: New towns become normal towns too. In: Ideals of Concrete. p. 29-33. • Sorkin, Michael: Advice to Critics. In: All over the Map.Writing on Buildings and Cities. London/New York 2011. p. 147-150.
Advanced Reading • Goldberger, Paul: Why architecture matters. New Haven 2011.
8. Sitzung FRG: A showcase of Post-War Modernism: – Hansaviertel *ON-SITE!
Advanced Reading • Englert, Alfred: Berlin Modernism. Berlin 2008.
9. Sitzung FRG: The Chances and Problems of Large Estate Housing – Problemviertel Gropiusstadt
Obligatory Reading • Cvjianovic, Alex: Gropiusstadt, Master Plan, Berlin, Germany. In: Harkness, John C. (ed.): The Walter Gropius Archive. Vol.4.1945-1969. The Architects Collaborative. New York/London 1991. p. 294-297. • Tiknor, Malcom: Britz-Buckow-Rudow: Three Residential Neighorhoods, Berlin, Germany. In:Harkness, John C. (ed.): The Walter Gropius Archive. Vol.4.1945-1969. The Architects Collaborative. New York/London 1991. p. 298-299.
Advanced Reading • Christiane F.: Zoo Station. The Story of Christiane F. San Francisco 2013. • Harvey, David: Social Justice and the City. Geographies of Justice and Social Transformation. Oxford 1996.
10. Sitzung FRG: The International Building Exhibition (IBA) 1987 – Postmodernism and the City
Obligatory Reading • Urban, Florian: Slab versus Tenements in East and West Berlin. In: Ders.: Tower and Slab. Histories of global mass housing. Routledge, Oxon/New York 2012. S. 59-78.
11. & 12. Sitzung FRG: Kulturforum – West Berlins Museum Island or Failed Architecture? The New Berlin: Potsdamer Platz – to fill a void! Doppelstunde
Advanced Reading • Colomb, Claire: Staging the new city. Place Marketing and the Politics of Urban Reinvention Post-1989. Oxfordshire/New York 2012. S. 147-168. • Weszkalnys, Gisa: Berlin, Alexanderplatz. Transforming place in a unified Germany. Berghahn Books 2010. 13. Sitzung The New Berlin: Reichstag and Regierungsviertel – How does the reunified Germany presents itself to the world?
Obligatory Reading • Ladd, Brian: Capital of the New Germany. In: id: The Ghosts of Berlin. Confronting German History in the urban landscape. Chicago 1997. p. 217- 235.
Advanced Reading • Barnstone, Deborah Ascher: A transparent state. Architecture and Politics in Postwar Germany. London 2005. • Wise, Michael Z.: Capital Dilemma. Germany's Search for a New Architecture of Democracy. New York 1998.
14. Sitzung The New Berlin: Rummelsburger Bucht & Mediaspree – Town Houses & Luxury Living in Berlin
Obligatory Reading • Gris, Seymor: Penthouse Dreams. In: www.exberliner.com, URL: http://www.exberliner.com/features/lifestyle/penthouse-dreams/
15. Sitzung Gentrify this! – Gentrification in Prenzlauer Berg, Mitte and Neukölln
Obligatory Reading • Novy, Johannes: “Berlin does not love you”. Notes on Berlin's “Tourism Controversy” and its discontents. In: Bernt, Matthias; Grell, Britta; Holm, Andrej (ed.): The Berlin Reader. A Compendium on Urban Change and Activism. Bielefeld 2013. p. 223-237.
Advanced Reading • Bernt, Matthias; Grell, Britta; Holm, Andrej (ed.): The Berlin Reader. A Compendium on Urban Change and Activism. Bielefeld 2013
16. Sitzung Closing session Discussion: To plan, to build, to grow – Experiment Berlin Future Plans: Stadtschloss, Alexanderplatz, Mediaspree Ausstellung Stadtmodelle *ON-SITE!
Obligatory Reading • Dohnke, Jan: Spree Riverbanks for everyone! What remains of “Sink Mediaspree”?. In: Bernt, Matthias; Grell, Britta; Holm, Andrej (ed.): The Berlin Reader. A Compendium on Urban Change and Activism. Bielefeld 2013. p. 223-237.
Advanced Reading • Lampugnani, Vittorio Magnago: Berlin Tomorrow. International Architectural Visions. London 1991.
*On Site-Meetings: sites are located within the city, no additional costs for students!