art:berlin - Friedrichstraße - Construction Site for a Future

There are few streets that have such a melodious name as Friedrichstraße. It runs through Berlin's historic centre from the north to Kreuzberg in the south and is currently a model case for a new inner-city traffic concept. Architectural experiments have taken place here from the very beginning, first planned by electors and kings out of their political understanding of urban geometry for living and representation. Then further developed by the ambition of private economy as well as urban administration in a changing process of commercial and residential streets of a new type. In 1921, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe dared to dream of erecting a glass house here, and the published design became more influential than the built house could ever have been. An American office building was erected in 1997 based on the design of one of the most enigmatic representatives of international modern building, Philip Johnson, while the IBA New 1984-87 included areas around Friedrichstrasse in its considerations of historical urban reconstruction. In the area of the legendary newspaper district, the daily newspaper TAZ now resides in an office building designed by the architects E2A between an alternative housing model of the 1980s and the current Metropolenhaus, which aims to offer new solutions for the revitalisation of the ground floor zone.

 

Attention: own BVG ticket necessary, use of public transport.

in cooperation with the Bauhaus-Archiv / Museum für Gestaltung