Repairing urban fabric with large-panel system buildings. Urban redevelopment in historic cities during the last decade of the GDR

During the 1970s architects and planners began to doubt about the principles of modern urbanism according to the ‘Charta of Athens’ not only in West Germany (FRG), but also in the socialist East Germany (GDR) (Urban, 2007). Although first renovations of 19th century districts (Arnimplatz, Berlin) were carried out mainly for economic reasons, soon the socialist government in 1976 ordered redesign of the historic city centre of Berlin (Sophienstraße, Gendarmenmarkt, Nikolaiviertel) respecting the history of the place. Its motives were, on one hand, propagandistic ones - exploiting the German history, culture and tradition for the legitimation as the true German nation - and on the other hand, indeed, the growing belief in the economic and social value of the compact city. The contribute describes and analyses the treatment of the historic fabric and weighs role and values that were attached to it by planners in the 70s and 80s. Further, it focusses on the question to what extent concrete slab/ panel buildings complete historic urban fabric or are in continuity with it. Especially in the 1980s the formerly rigid prefabrication systems were more and more adapted to the urban fabric of the 19th century (Berlin, Jena), of Baroque times (Potsdam, Greifswald) or even Medieval times (Rostock, Stralsund) assuming an angular geometry, and an appropriate subdivision and dimension of building corps. Also in the architectural language was tried to create a relation to historic architecture by attaching bricks on the concrete panels, introducing specially formed panels for slope roofs, gables or entrances. Günter Stahn, the architect of the Nikolaiviertel said: “The concrete panel simply was the brick of our times.” (Krüger, 1986)