Themen:
Urban Dialogues Virtual, July 30, 2021

Urban Phoenix: "Urban Renewals - Redefining Berlin's Post-War Legacy"

Tackling a universal task for contemporary European cities reassessing their post-war-era bequests: Which tool-sets equip cities best in assembling a patchwork of monofunctional spaces into one coherent urban quarter?

Completed in 1979, the 320m long, 80m wide and 40m high International Congress Center (ICC) in Berlin is an imposing structure capable of hosting events with up to 90.000 visitors. At the cusp of modernity during its inception, the ICC has become a modern relic. A universal, recurring theme in contemporary cities, the reconfiguration of such structures pose as an exciting opportunity to build on legacy values while facilitating urban resilience and sustainability.

As part of the “Urban Phoenix” visiting school, Architectural Association together with Alfred Herrhausen Gesellschaft and other partners, host two panel discussions asking: How can Berlin's Westend area be transformed from a throughway junction to a vibrant city quarter that is able to accommodate contemporary standards of cityscape and public life?

The area around the decommissioned ICC and neighbouring radio tower with the currently inoperative trade fair ground and its post-war-era streetscape amount to a vast area of unrealized urban potentials.
In our second discussion “Urban Renewals - Redefining Berlin's Post-War Legacy” the panelists will discuss which tool-sets best equip in assembling a patchwork of monofunctional spaces into one coherent urban quarter - a universal task for contemporary European cities reassessing their post-war-era bequests.

The panelists of this event are:

  • Carlos Villanueva-Brandt - Diploma 10 Unit Master Architectural Association, London
  • Prof Raoul Bunschoten - Professor for Sustainable Urban Planning & Urban Design at TU Berlin, Director of CHORA & Conscious City Lab, Berlin
  • Eva de Klerk - Independent professional in participatory urban development, Initiator of NDSM shipyard Amsterdam, Member of the Board of Advisers at Tempelhof Projekt GmbH, Amsterdam
  • Rudi Scheuermann - Director und Arup Fellow, Global Lead Building Envelope Design Arup, Berlin
  • Theresa Keilhacker - President of Architects’ Registration Board and partner at Kazanski Keilhacker, Berlin

The discussion will be opened with brief impulses from all participants, followed by a discussion.

“Urban Renewals - Redefining Berlin's Post-War Legacy”
30 July 2021 | 6.30 – 7.30 pm

No registration needed. To join the event, log in here (Passcode: 228045).


For more information, please contact Alexandra Hunger.

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