After the reunification, many new buildings were constructed in Berlin and quite a lot of them provoke a controversial discussion whether modern architecture enriches or rather destroys our cityscape. In particular the shopping mall „Alexa“ close to the Alexanderplatz, which was constructed in 2007, is not well received by everyone. The architects and owners of the complex claim that it follows the classical Art Deco Style and is constructed with much care and attention to beautiful details. The critics can’t follow this rationale and call the Alexa a nightmare in pig pink („Alptraum in Schweinchenrosa“) or a subterranean bunker, which was pressed by a tectonic plate movement to earth’s surface and painted in pink.
However several modern buildings have been constructed in Berlin, which don’t polarize options as much – at least concerning their appearance. At the best they give Berlin its identity and the Berliners are proud and happy to see them. Spontaneously I can think of three buildings in the center of the town: There is the GSW Headquarter close to Checkpoint Charlie in Kreuzberg. A convex high-riser with 22 stores, called the round “pillbox”, was constructed in 1999 to complete an older administration building. According to the plans of the architects Sauerbruch and Hutton, the high-riser is covered with glass lamellae in warm colors. These lamellae are the trademark of the building and depending on the light reflection change in gradation and luminance. The building develops a life of its own and isn’t just a cool, clean and repellent surface.
GSW Headquarter
Another high-riser, which is pleasant to the eye, is the so-called Kollhoff-Tower on the Potsdamer Platz. It was built in 1999 in the retro style of New York’s brick buildings. The tower of 103 meters is supposed to have the fastest elevator in Europe. The roof terrace provides a fantastic view over the recently constructed area of the Potsdamer Platz and the adjacent Tiergarten park. Unfortunately only ten years after construction the building must be already renovated, but it’s still beautiful with its distinctive and pointed shape!
Kollhof-Tower (source:panoramapunkt.de)
A successful example of modern architecture in Berlin is also the new exhibition hall, which belongs to the museum of German history in Mitte, Hinter dem Gießhaus 3. It was designed by the Chinese-American architect Ieoh Ming Pei, who has the reputation being the „master of light“ and the „magician of space“. Curved walls and light-flooded, spacious rooms lend the building its special and inimitable character. The visitors feel immediately embraced by the generous entrance area.
exhibition hall DHM (source: morgenpost.de)
Last but not least there is the philological library of the University of Dahlem designed by the British architect Norman Foster. This amazing building with an interior shaped as a book gives us hope that also in the future more modern and beautiful buildings in Berlin will be constructed.
Philological library FU Berlin (source: fu-berlin.de)
