The repair and reconstruction of the city

1987: IBA Berlin

The Murdered City

Efforts of progress and modernisation determine the urban development of the 60s and 70s. Entire quarters were hit by “demolition for reconstruction”. Leaving the historic city behind as well as the current strategy of planar rehabilitation and breaking down whole urban quarters do more and more meet with criticism and resistance.

The Rehabilitation of the Historic City

In a definite contrast to the Interbau Exhibition of 1957 the central theme was the rediscovery of the historic city centre of Berlin having been destroyed by far through war and the building of the Wall. For the first time in the history of building exhibitions the IBA Berlin focuses on the renovation of old housing stock and its chances of integrating new housing successfully – what actually means the repair of the city. Thirty years after the Interbau, the IBA Berlin 87 opposes post war urban planning. The Building Exhibition Berlin GmbH was founded by the Senate of the City of Berlin in 1979. The IBA Berlin 1987 opens itself up from two approaches: IBA – new development and IBA – old building stock.

Critical Reconstruction (IBA new development)

Between 1979 and 1987 IBA new development realized a multitude of new building projects in the context of competitions with international architects. Key aspects were the southern part of Berlin-Friedrichstadt, the southern part of the Berlin quarter of Tiergarten and the Berlin inner harbour Tegel. Its program concentrated on a “critical reconstruction” of the city so that the city was
reactivated as a mere concern of architecture and building art.

Gentle Urban Redevelopment (IBA – old building stock)

In 1977 massive protests against deconstruction and housing shortage led to the competition “Strategies for Kreuzberg” and from 1979 on into the “illegal reconditioning/ reoccupation” of many vacant houses in the quarter – starting point for the IBA – old building stock. Their foremost aims were the conservation, stabilization, and development of existing social and functional urban structures as well as the implantation of processes like self-help and modernisation by the tenant.

Reference of Gentle Urban Redevelopment

From January 1986 to December 1992 the private S.T.E.R.N. GmbH continued this process with the same team which already worked for the IBA. For these extraordinary effort in the context of “Gentle Urban Redevelopment Kreuzberg” the State of Berlin received the “European Urban and Regional Award” in 1994. Generally the IBA – old building stock led planning into a new epoch: new development stepped back behind securing and modernizing the stock. By its pilot projects IBA became the incentive of supporting programs with respect to urban renewal and to the change of jurisdiction for rehabilitation and environmental protection.

The publication of text and picture is based on the exhibition flyer "IBA meets IBA" by kindly courtesy of M:AI museum for architecture and und engeneering art in Nordrhein-Westfalen and of IBA Hamburg.
Photo: Senatsverwaltung für Bau- und Wohnungswesen Berlin & Manfred Kraft