Wall-hopping story (Re-creating the City of Berlin)

Author: Shen Zhixing
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-10-01
Features: Berlin, once an isolated landmass, once had a fateful dividing wall. Now, the sturdy wall has collapsed, and people on both sides can cross freely. But facing the city's pitted historical remnants, how should one start anew? Berlin can be said to be the only city in Europe that records the vicissitudes of the 20th century in its urban fabric. The prosperity at the beginning of the century, the conflicts in the middle, and the political indifference—all are reflected in its city's texture and veins. As the capital of the reunified Federal Republic of Germany, it carries the significant mission of clarifying Germany's past and future. However, aside from the cold rationality and the classification indicators representing a prosperous modern nation, what kind of essence does the ordinary Berlin exude? What kind of charm does it reveal? It has an indescribable, unique vibe that cannot be found in other cities. It's not necessarily comfortable or pleasant, but rather, it has a strong personality. It's like Lola from the German film Run Lola Run—with her bizarre orange-red hair, neither beautiful nor unattractive, not sharp or angular, tall but not graceful, dressed neither stylishly nor retro, rebellious and solitary, with a cold expression, but with strong willpower, always wanting to rewrite history. This book is divided into chapters based on the German words "Berlin," "Einheit" (Unity), "Raum" (Space), "Leben" (Life), "International" (International), and "Nachdenken" (Reflection). These German words encompass themes that are deeply related to the urban and architectural development of Berlin after German reunification. Under these thematic words, selected new construction cases in post-unification Berlin are chosen, with the selection criteria as follows: 1. The issues involved are relatively representative; 2. The architectural achievements are relatively outstanding. The city of Berlin plays a very important role in terms of politics, strategy, economy, and culture. On this scale, large-scale urban reconstruction has not occurred in European cities since modern times, and it can be expected that the challenges faced will be extremely high. Additionally, the German government after World War II tended toward political humanization, combined with the inherent caution of the German nation, it is inevitable that they adopted a very cautious approach when facing urban reconstruction issues. Therefore, it can be expected that regardless of the methods or outcomes, these will provide valuable experiences for urban planning and the architectural field.