Mahlaqa Fahami
This photo essay is focused on an explorative experience in the Kreuzberg neighborhood from U Kottbuser Tor to Leigendamm, Berlin, Germany where the historical and contemporary elements are realized. According to UNESCO (2021), the term cultural heritage encompasses several categories of heritage such as, tangible and intangible. With this photo essay, we will briefly look through some of the tangible and intangible heritages of this neighborhood which have been playing an essential part in building its urban character. The presence of historic buildings, installations, and monuments represent the past of Berlin before and after the World War II. Most interestingly, the lives and cultures of different migrant communities, such as the Turkish immigrants have played an important part in creating such elements in this area. The arts, buildings, courtyards, and urban spaces have equal participation from the immigrants who have shared their culture in this part of then-West Berlin. Moreover, Internationale Bauausstellung (IBA) architects such as, Hardt-Waltherr Hämer, Heide Moldenhauer and many others – came forward with careful urban renewal strategies during 1984/87, to not disperse the residing migrant community from the neighborhood. Some of their works are still visible there. Lastly, the punk rock culture, the contemporary “multiculti” character of Kreuzberg is prevalent in the vicinity of this neighborhood. Urban renewal, as well as historic buildings and cultural diversity that symbolizes modern Kreuzberg to us, are noticed by the author of this essay, through the method known as “dérive: the exploration of a place or neighborhood by walking on one’s own or in small groups of two to three“ (Debord, 1958). The walking is influenced by the Serial Vision technique by Gordon Cullen (1961) where each image is taken and visualized and noted on the map. The even progression of the walking is noticed with surprising features and changes in the area with multi-cultural dominance. From the first gentrifying divider mixed-use building Neues Kreuzberger Zentrum (NKZ) to the Kunst Quartier Bethanien, the different layers of urban renewal and heritage are observed in this exploration to comprehend the relationship between regeneration and cultural diversity in Berlin.
01 The Figure Ground Map. The position of the walking through the figure ground map is noted by letters „a to t“ to better understand the author’s perspectives. The author has used the color “red” in the captured photos to focus the points of interest. This self-explorative walking with photos on specific points makes us realize the link between the past and the present in Urban Renewal and heritage-making at Kottbuser Tor, Kreuzberg, West Berlin.
»The even progress of travel is illuminated by a series of sudden contrasts and so an impact is made on the eye, bringing the plan to life (like nudging a man who is going to sleep in church)«
Gordon Cullen, The Concise Townscape, 1961
02 The Neues Kreuzberger Zentrum (NKZ). The walking journey starts from point a which is noted on the figure-ground map at Adalbertstrasse, Kottbuser Tor in front of the NKZ that was built as a „noise barrier“. This mixed-use development once was the first symbol of renewal in Kreuzberg with an intention to disperse the working population and welcome gentrification. The building changed from “an utopian beacon into a dystopian nightmare“ (Failed Architecture, 2021) over time. If one goes beyond this building, he/she can experience a different side of Berlin with multiculturalism.
03 Turkish Food Restaurant under NKZ at point a to b. The neighborhood is popular for its Turkish cuisine and grill houses. The present multiculturism at Kreuzberg is the result of the amalgamation of the migrant communities after their entry as labor workers in West Berlin during the 1960s. The way they have shared their cultural elements and created their own transnational identity – shows us that culture and heritage have immense power to establish a sense of belonging to a place. During city renewal, these cultural features play an important role to recognize a place’s urban character.
04 The SO36. The second turn is taken on points b to c at Oranienstrasse. Here the origin of punk rock music SO36 from the 1970s is experienced. The name has been taken from the postcode Südost (SO) 36 of the neighborhood. The presence of rock culture tradition with young population is prominent in this urban space.
05 The “Am Haus”. Moving a bit forward at Oranienstrasse, the mural art of Turkish words on „Am Haus“by the Turkish female artist Ayse Erkmen (1949-) is found. It was installed in 1994 to represent the peculiarity of the language in the young generation of Turkish in Germany, who take German as their main language (amidst interpretation, 2012).
06 Graffiti on a residential building at Naunynstrasse
07 The mural art on 76/78 blocks by Hanefi Yeter at Adalberstrasse
»Yeter’s work is composed of humans made out of colorful three-dimensional tiles shown in everyday life scenes with a twist of unfamiliarity.«
– Esra Akcan, Migration, Citizenship, and the Urban Renewal of Berlin-Kreuzberg by IBA-1984 / 87, pp. 236.
From point c to f, courtyard spaces, typical housings with residents from different communities are observed on the walk. At the start of point h to i at Adalbertstrasse, the 76/78 blocks are observed where some major renovation works were conducted by IBA Altbau team with Hardt-Waltherr Hämer as the planning director in the 1980s. The blocks were renovated with the community‘s participation. Architect Moldenhauer initiated some extraordinary works such as murals, community hof spaces, and Kita, in this area. One such mural work was created by Turkish artist Hanefi Yeter at the request of Moldenhauer (Akcan, 2018). This mural is still prevalent on the renovated block at Adalbertstrasse (Figure 7).
Kreuzberg is famous for its mural art and graffitis, and the introduction to the Turkish mural arts showcase the cultural diversity in the neighborhood. The neighborhood also has graffitis on the punk rock culture on the urban facade. One such example is observed during the walking on point-i at Naunynstrasse (Figure 6).
08 The cinema exhibition behind the Bethanien
09 The Kunstraum Kreuzberg/Bethanien (Exhibition space, movie screening, artists’ workspace)
When coming towards the Waldemarstrasse, the cinema exhibition is noticed by the author with a large stage and lighting. Going forward to the Mariannenplatz the Kunstraum Kreuzberg/Bethanien is found in point j-k on the map. Bethanien is one of the oldest buildings and hospitals in Kreuzberg built around 1846 (3schwestern, 2021). Now the building and its open spaces are used for cinema, music school, art exhibitions, and restaurants. The most interesting matter about this historic old building is – it has added a different perspective to the Kreuzberg neighborhood with the artistic character to the community people.
10 St. Michael’s Church. After crossing the l-o point on the map, at Legiendamm, the author was surprised by the view of the Engelbecken park and the vista of the St. Michael‘s Church, designed by architect August Soller. The water body within the park space and the view of a modern restaurant with the historic church as the backdrop provide one with an intriguing feeling of old and new. The current gentrification is somehow comprehensible on the scene with the new modern buildings alongside the waterbody.
11 The KinderHaus at Dresdener Strasse:
Coming to the end of the walking, on point q to r, at Dresdener Strasse, a parking garage turned into Kita-KinderHaus, was observed. This is designed during the IBA Altbau‘s careful renewal. This project is considered one of the most successful conversion projects in Berlin and bears the history of urban renewal after the fall of the Berlin wall at West Berlin (internationale-bauausstellungen.de, 2020).
From point r-s-t, the journey brought us back to the Kottbuser Tor again.
12 A photo collage on the heritage and renewal at Kreuzberg, Berlin
This photo essay is a brief attempt to represent the multicultural heritage of this small neighborhood of Kreuzberg district in Berlin and how it has evolved throughout the urban renewal process. At the end of the walking exploration,the strong presence of immigrant communities‘ culture, punk rock heritage, music, art, murals, historic monuments are observed in every part of this neighborhood. However, the present trend of gentrification is hampering these cultural elements. Whereas, urban renewal should always respect the community, and their heritage that creates a sense of belonging to the place. In the case of Kreuzberg – the district also requires such a careful approach to the current urban development process that keeps the heritage making process alive and visible in the neighborhood.
References:
Akcan, E. (2018). Open Architecture Migration, Citizenship and the Urban Renewal of BerlinKreuzberg by IBA 1984/87 (1st ed.). Walter de Gruyter GmbH.
amidst interpretation. (2012). Am Haus. Amidst Interpretation. Retrieved 3 October 2022, from https://amidstinterpretation.wordpress.com/2012/04/04/am-haus/.
Cullen, G. (1961). The Concise TOWNSCAPE (1st ed.). Routledge.
Failed Architecture (2021). FA Workshop: Berlin’s Neues Kreuzberger Zentrum – Failed Architecture. Failed Architecture. Retrieved 6 October 2022, from https://failedarchitecture.com/events/fa-workshop-berlins-neues-kreuzberger-zentrum.
internationale-bauausstellungen.de. (2020). Kindertagesstätte Dresdener Straße // Ein Parkhaus wird zum Kinderhaus | IBA. internationale-bauausstellungen.de. Retrieved 2 October 2022, from https://www.internationalebauausstellungen.de/geschichte/1979-1984-87-iba-berlin-die-innenstadt-alswohnort/kindertagesstaette-dresdener-strasse-ein-parkhaus-wird-zum-kinderhaus.
UNESCO. (2022). Definition of the cultural heritage | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.. UNESCO. Retrieved 8 October 2022, from http://www.unesco.org/new/en/culture/ themes/illicit-trafficking-of-cultural-property/unescodatabase-of-national-cultural-heritage-laws/frequently-asked-questions/definition-of-the-culturalheritage.
Debord, G. (1958). Situationist International Online. Cddc.vt.edu. Retrieved 1 August 2022, from https:// www.cddc.vt.edu/sionline/si/theory.html.
3schwestern. (2022). Bethanien – 3 Schwestern. 3 Schwestern. Retrieved 1 October 2022, from https://www.3schwestern.com/bethanien.
About the Author:
Mahlaqa Fahami, an aspiring architect living in Berlin, holds a Master’s Degree in Heritage Studies from Brandenburg University of Technology, Cottbus-Senftenberg. She has participated in several international design competitions and recently was awarded the 3. Diesing Preis in Architecture in the 169th annual AIV-Schinkel Competition in Germany. Currently contributing her skills as a full-time architect to a Berlin-based Landscape and Urban Design office, Mahlaqa’s works reflect her passion for public space design. Her academic pursuits have been focused on the intersection of cultural heritage and open-space planning, greatly influencing her recent research works.
