Karl-Marx-Allee, a monumental boulevard born from the GDR's vision in the 1950s, starts at Alexanderplatz—a place under transformation since a long time. Known from films like Wim Wenders’ “Wings of Desire,” Fassbinder’s television series “BERLIN Alexanderplatz”, or “Goodbye Lenin” (2003). Alex has been trying to find its identity for years, and discussions about what this iconic center of Berlin could look like and what it could become are just as lengthy and intense.
Four concrete giants
Today, Alex is a vast construction site. Visitors find themselves lost between construction fences. Large scale renders announce the construction of four 150m tall skyscrapers, developed by international investors. Offices, shopping malls and hotels should find space there someday
Despite being under construction since 2020, not much is visible of these four concrete giants. The highly complex construction works faced several disruptions, such as problems with foundations, the sinking of a metro tunnel, financial issues with international investors, and the recent crises in the construction industry, including a shortage of workers and materials. For example, the "Alextower" at the site of today's "Alexa” due to Germany's boycott on Russian investment following the Ukraine war.
Alles Anders Platz
Crossing Karl-Mark-Allee all is different. Haus der Statistik The modernist block of Haus der Statistik is the former GDR office of statistics. In 2015, a collective of artists started and experimental, cooperative urban development process. “Alles anders" (all different), it states on the building - because things are done differently here. Presently, the facade elements of some of the blocks are being changed, but the concrete skeletons from the 1950s are being preserved. Meanwhile, pioneer users of artists and other initiatives find space in pavilions made out of reclaimed materials, such as old doors, window frames, and scaffolding.
Haus der Materialisierung is a space where different initiatives experiment with diverse circular practices under one roof, inviting the public of Berlin to join. For example, Kunstoffe's material market provides second-hand building materials for self-building. Baufachfrauens wood workshop allows people to build something out of reclaimed wood, while Kostum Kollektiv's Textilwerkstatt lets them sew a new outfit out of discarded costumes from Berlin's theaters and movie sets. Leila lets people borrow a tent for their next trip rather than buying a new one. All these activities are happening under one roof, where visionary people come together to try to keep resources in the loop and experiment with circularity in everyday urban life.
The contrast between two sides of the Allee is striking - and might be daunting. On one side of Karl-Marx-Allee, thousands of cubic meters of concrete are being used to build new skyscrapers, while on the other side, a group of people is bringing ideas of another world to reality. They try to avoid waste and keep resources in the loop. These contrasts raise questions. Is there a point in these small idealistic practices trying to change the world? What is the impact of fixing my kitchen cardboard out of reused wood instead of buying a new one when, on the other side of the street, thousands of cubic meters of concrete are being poured into the ground? Is this just an isolated bubble of unrealistic dreams of a world of "alles anders"?
After all - something interesting is happening. If we take a look at what's going on, the large-scale projects on Alexanderplatz (and elsewhere in Germany) have come to a halt. Some projects have been affected by the geopolitical complexities of international investors, while others have been impacted by the shortage of material supply and the exploding prices of construction. Others overestimated modern engineering skills. At Alex today - the only place where we can see active construction work going on, with people working and machines making noise, is Haus der Statistik. Where things are done differently, and this brings hope for the future. (SZ article).
Interestingly - Berolinastrasse 21, was one of the housing blocks was the home in “Goodbye Lenin” https://movie-locations.com/movies/g/Good-Bye-Lenin.php