Development
El postulado de la reconstrucción crítica no sólo se mantuvo al pie de la letra tras la reunificación de la ciudad, sino que fue adoptado como doctrina oficial por la administración pública.[28] Así, la reinvención de Berlín acabó sujeta a un sinfín de directrices pensadas para asegurar la homogeneidad urbanística del siglo .[28].
La especialista en arquitectura alemana Wallis Miller, ha afirmado que “la sección de nuevos edificios para la «reconstrucción crítica de la ciudad» empezaba generalmente con un concurso por invitación para diseñar las distintas manzanas "Manzana (urbanismo)") y terminaba con la asignación a los arquitectos invitados de los edificios particulares en cada una”.[35].
La reconstrucción crítica, debía llevarse a cabo con conservadurismo en la planificación urbana a través de la arquitectura contemporánea, no a través de la repetición de los edificios demolidos.[30] Este principio también se mantuvo cuando se le dio una base urbana amplia bajo la planificación de Berlín de Stimmann. Fue solo cuando se le preguntó sobre el diseño del centro de la ciudad que la reconstrucción crítica recurrió a una reconstrucción histórica.[30].
La renovación, adquirió un ritmo acelerado gracias al nombramiento de Hans Stimmann"), como director de obras públicas de la ciudad en 1991, quién extendió la filosofía de la Behutsame Stadterneuerung") a toda la ciudad, llevando el término reconstrucción crítica para describir su enfoque hacia la reparación de la dañada estructura de Berlín.[1] Durante la década de 1980, Stimmann era miembro del Partido Socialdemócrata de Alemania (SPD) y estaba era especialista en Berlín Oeste de Berlín Este dentro de la IBA. Por eso, cuando se derrumbó el muro se convirtió en una figura fundamental y fue llamado por su partido para asumir la tarea de inventar nuevos instrumentos de planificación para Berlín unificado.[15].
La cuestión de cómo desarrollar un Berlín unificado se guio por un marco "Planwerk Innenstadt&action=edit&redlink=1 "Planwerk (Berlin) (aún no redactado)")" de Stimmann en tanto que Director de Construcción del Senado de la ciudad. Así se reintrodujo el concepto de reconstrucción crítica para el Friedrichstadt, la Potsdamer Platz, el área de Lehrter Bahnhof y el Spreeinsel.[36] Stimmann reunió a arquitectos de renombre para trabajar en la ciudad, al tiempo que les daba pautas rígidas de reconstrucción crítica a las que les pidió que se conformaran.[37] Hasta 2006, Stimmann fue el responsable de planificación urbana dentro del gobierno local de Berlín.[15].
También en sus propios edificios, Kleihues se sometió al canon que había contribuido a crear. Por su gestión fue conocido como el "regente" y el "arquitecto con permiso de construcción incorporado".[28] Poco antes de su muerte, aún estaba empeñado en crear en la capital alemana un archivo arquitectónico en la Academia de arquitectura de Berlín, un edificio diseñado en la primera mitad del siglo por Karl Friedrich Schinkel, artífice del Berlín prusiano.[28].
El objetivo elegido por el gobierno de la ciudad era recrear una edad anterior que eliminara las referencias a las eras nocivas del pasado reciente. Siempre que sea posible, quieren restaurar los patrones de calles y las líneas de construcción anteriores a la guerra.[38].
La suma total invertida en la reconstrucción de la capital entre 1990 y 2000 ascendió a una suma equivalente a 150 000 millones de euros.[14].
Leipzig and Potsdam squares
This sector was the most fashionable and international scene during the 1920s. Potsdamer Platz – which was never exactly a square nor is it now – was completely destroyed during the Second World War, it completed its resurgence in 2004. It was there where the redesign of Berlin began, in an area that was divided into five districts that bear the name of a brand or multinational business group. The first stone of this critical reconstruction was laid in the Daimler district, a company that shortly before the fall of the Wall had acquired a plot of land from the city council on Potsdamerplatz.[39].
Renowned architects such as Renzo Piano, Rafael Moneo and Arata Isozaki participated in the reconstruction. The Beisheim Center, an office and apartment complex named in honor of Otto Beisheim, has been built. The inauguration of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel (2004) - one of its central pieces - marks the end of the total recovery of Potsdamer Platz, once again converted into one of the nerve centers of Berlin.[40].
Government district
Following the decision to move the federal capital from Bonn to Berlin, various projects were initiated to construct new buildings to house the headquarters of the country's main institutions. The most emblematic work was the complete remodeling of the interior of the historic Reichstag building "Reichstag (German parliament)"), as well as the restoration of its façade and the construction of a dome with a new modern design, markedly different from the original. The building has a main hall that is tall, transparent and functional. From the Plaza de la República you can see the west door of the building that operates as a reception for visitors, who, if they are not registered, arrive directly at the terrace, which offers a panoramic view of the neighboring buildings and access to the dome. Sensitivities about the history of the Reichstag have been taken into account in the critical reconstruction of the building.[41] The new dome of the Reichstag by architect Norman Foster aims to embody the idea of a transparent democracy since behind the glass walls is the west hall, from where the chamber can be seen.[42].
Nearby, on the north side, three complementary buildings were built, completing what is known as the parliamentary complex. Among them, the Paul Löbe building houses the deliberation rooms and the deputies' offices. The other building, the Jakob Kaiser, houses the historic palace of the President of the Reichstag, the parliamentary services and the office of the Bundestag. Finally, there is the Marie-Elisabeth Lüders building that stands on the east bank of the Spree, aligned with the Paul Löbe building, to which it is linked by a pedestrian bridge. Its rotunda houses the committee room for affairs related to the European Union (EU). This building houses the Bundestag Library, which has a bibliographic collection of 1.5 million volumes.[43].
Opposite the Paul Löbe building, architect Axel Schultes designed the seven-story federal chancellery building "Federal Chancellery (Berlin)") which opened in 2001. The head of government's office has a direct view of Parliament. On a plot of land it houses 400 offices and green spaces. An underground corridor links the Paul Löbe, the Reichstag and the Jakob Kaiser.
The train and subway stations have been remodeled, and in May 2006 the Berlin Central Station was inaugurated, which will be the driving force for the development of this area, with an urbanization plan that maintains a balance between offices, hotels, shops, homes and green areas. Along with this station, four others were inaugurated on the north-south and east-west axis of Berlin, to complete the largest transport node in Europe.[44] The building does not correspond to the principles of critical reconstruction, which is why architect Daniel Libeskind stated in an interview that Stimmann had told him: “If I had been in power only a month earlier, the building would never have received the construction permit.”[11].
From the Brandenburg Gate to Old Berlin
A few meters southeast of the Reichstag is the Brandenburg Gate with its chariot, an icon of the city. From there an axis is marked that extends between Paris Square and Alexanderplatz, where several notable buildings have been built.
In Paris Square "Paris Square (Berlin)"), an emblematic place in Berlin's history, the French embassy stands out, rebuilt on the same lot (expanded) that it has occupied since 1860, when Napoleon III purchased a building that would house the diplomatic representation of France. The construction was destroyed during the Second World War and the land was unoccupied until the 1990s, when France began the construction of its new embassy, the work of Christian de Portzamparc, and inaugurated in 2003 on the occasion of the fortieth anniversary of the Treaty of the Elysée. On the same side of the square is the Max Liebermann house, which was rebuilt in the sense of critical reconstruction based on the historical model.[45].
On the other side of the square is the Berlin Academy of Arts, inaugurated in May 2005. In this way the institution returned to its historic location. After years of controversy, the headquarters reopened faithful to the principles of critical reconstruction.[46] At a cost of approximately 60 million euros, the design of the building was carried out by architect Günter Behnisch. Right next to the Academy is the Adlon Hotel, originally opened in 1904. This hotel became one of the most renowned in the city. Although it survived World War II in good condition, it was demolished in 1984. The new building was completed in 1997, preserving the original design of the facades.
Continuing along the avenue Under the Lime Trees (Unter den Linden), there are important buildings that have been restored, such as the Museum of German History, where the Berlin Declaration was proclaimed in 2007, and other buildings that have been completely rebuilt, such as the Kommandantenhaus (Alte Kommandantur), which despite having suffered minor war damage, was demolished in the 1960s and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the GDR, which in turn was also demolished in 1995. In February 1999, Chancellor Gerhard Schröder ordered an investor to be found for the reconstruction of the building.[47] Thus, after having rebuilt three sides of its façade in 2005, the building is the non-main headquarters of the Bertelsmann group.[48] In front of this building, the Berlin Academy of Architecture is planned to be rebuilt, a masterpiece by Friedrich Schinkel, who designed it. almost all important buildings from the first half of the century in Berlin.[49].
On the other side of the river, the avenue is renamed Karl-Liebknecht-Straße") and leads to the Spree Island on whose southern bank the Royal Berlin Palace of the Hohenzollern Dynasty that stood in this city and was destroyed in 1950 is currently being rebuilt,[50] being replaced in the 1970s by the Palace of the Republic "Palace of the Republic (Berlin)"). (building in which the GDR voted to join the Federal Republic[21]) which was itself demolished in 2008. The German parliament then decided to rebuild the palace on its former location under the policy of critical reconstruction, as a symbol of unity for the nation.[51].