STRATEGIES FOR THE COLD WAR SPECTACLES OF BERLINER HANSAVIERTEL

Project on ideological clash between West Germany and German Democratic Republic reflecting in spatial form. / affiliated with Reworking Modern

Under the promotion of the German federal government and organized by the Senate of West Berlin, the largest international architectural exhibition of the 1950s Germany — Interbau ’57 — marked an important milestone for Berlin. Transitioning from the city destroyed by war to the city of tomorrow, the urban reconstruction era represented the ideological clash between West Germany and German Democratic Republic reflecting in the architectural and urban design form.

The Interbau was an event of superlatives, grand scales and spectacles. Its central project — the Hansaviertel (Hansa district) was designed by more than

50 prominent architects from 14 countries.

This unique ensemble of designs coexisting within a generous green space planned by international landscape architects.

The event drew 1,3 million visitors, 36% of whom came from GDR and Eastern Europe.It was a political stance, a response to the construction projects on the Socialist Eastern side of Berlin showcasing their idea of a capable regime. According to Carl Mahler, the West Berlin Minister of Construction, Interbau as a „clear commitment to the Western world“ was a reaction to the „false ostentation of Stainallee“ [1]. Thus, Interbau and Hansaviertel became a principal example of the dynamics of the Cold War Era, showcasing accomplishments as an act of communication.

Some of the designs in Hansaviertel are listed as monuments, others are not. Without proper investing in maintenance they are deteriorating, becoming inconvenient in terms of energy consumption. This project is an analysis of the technical performance of the Hansa Library designed by Werner Düttmann and develop a preservation strategy to sustain the concept of Interbau.