HOW DOES MODERN BUILDING CULTURE ENHANCE OUR CITYSCAPE

Architectural culture is the mirror of social development and thus an inherent part of the collective identity of any city. As a social reflection, it is subject to the prevailing opin- ions and touches on the existential questions of urban development: how do we want to live, how do we want to work, how do we want to live together? The answers to that are diverse but share common goals: the structure and functionality of the building,public safety, functioning of public infrastructure, but also human well-being and quality of life.

Modern architectural culture, influenced by social developments like industrialisation, urbanisation, or housing shortage, is characterised by a contemporary view of man and his needs. Both the classical modernism of the “Neues Bauen“ [literally, New Building] style as well as that of the postwar period attempted to create a high quality living environment for the working population: glass, steel, concrete, and bricks were the materials of choice. These materials were industrially manufactured and followed new standards of construction and design. Adhering to the principal that „form follows function“, planners abandoned historical elements and showed a distinct use of forms.

In keeping with the Kulturland Brandenburg‘s initiative theme for this year “Light | Play| House – modernism in film. art. architectural culture“, the “Städtekranz Berlin-Brandenburg“ [i. e. Ring of Cities] invites both its population and its guests to get to know the extensive legacy of modern architectural culture on-site with the help of this brochure. This includes architectural works from well-known masters like Erich Mendelsohn, Paul Mebes, and Walter Gropius, but also the buildings of the postwar modernist period that are experiencing a renaissance in the cities of the region as the architecture of the “Neue Sachlichkeit“ [i. e. New Objectivity]. Accordingly, we will introduce you to important architects and artists who created the modern buildings in our cities and introduce you to places where you can experience modern art and culture. Contact addresses and useful tips are provided to guide you as you set off on your expedition through the modernism of Brandenburg.

This publication is also an invitation for dialogue to find common solutions to the challenges of urban redevelopment and perspective issues concerning the relationship between quality of life and urban design. At the same time, in a state like Brandenburg, planners are being asked for realistic new approaches that involve all the players in a civic process. In this spirit, I cordially invite you to participate in this creative search.



Dr. Martin Wilke
Mayor of the City of Frankfurt (Oder)
Chairperson of the Städtekranz [Ring of Cities] Berlin-Brandenburg Association