architectural spaces
Monday, February 19th, 2007
A suburb of Munich in the seventies
There is currently something like a “Plattenbaunostalghia” in Berlin, which manifests itself in Plattenbau-esthetics-designed clubs or things like this Plattenbauquartett available everywhere in Berlin-Mitte. Last not least there are still some eastgerman Plattenbaus even in Berlin Mitte.
While the east german Plattenbaubuildings built in the 70/80ties actually rather meant a social upgrade at that time, their west german analogs (in Berlin-West this is Gropiusstadt and the Maerkische Viertel) were intended to provide cheap living spaces.
If these kind of quarters are badly connected to public transport then either the explosive social mixture of the seventies is still prevalent or they become the victim of the shrinking cities phenomenom (see also ping mag). Likewise east german Plattenbaubuildings in rather remote locations experienced a social devaluation. Besides the bad connection to the inner city, one reason for the devaluation is of course that these buildings are badly built. You can hear almost every word of your neighbours and you better do not practise a music instrument.
Someone I know gave me the above old seventies view from her childhood appartment and chatted a bit about kid-gangs at that time. Luckily there was a public library which was her refuge. She said: This kind of environment is supposed to make you tough.
