Rathauspassagen
| Rathauspassagen | ||
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| Basic data | ||
| Location: | Berlin center | |
| Owner : | Housing association Berlin-Mitte mbH | |
| Website: | www.rathauspassagen-berlin.de | |
The Rathauspassagen is an ensemble of buildings erected between 1967 and 1972 south of Alexanderplatz between Rathausstrasse , Jüdenstrasse and Grunerstrasse in the Berlin district of Mitte, based on plans by the architects Heinz Graffunder , Eckart Schmidt , Wolfgang Radke and others . They were also part of the entire new development along Spandauer and Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse . The passages were completely rebuilt between 2002 and 2004 and closed off with a multi-storey car park facing Grunerstraße .
Location and building description
The elongated building complex stretches as a coherent structure from the Red Town Hall to shortly before the tram route, originally 185 meters along Rathausstrasse. The north-facing apartments face the green area around the Berlin television tower . The total width of the complex was 68 meters.
Building history and use
In the place of the Rathauspassagen there were several individual buildings until the end of the Second World War , including the governor's house on the corner of Jüdenstrasse, which was demolished in 1967 . In the course of the large-scale redesign of the historic city center and the construction of the Berlin television tower , which was associated with the demolition of almost the entire historical structure , the East Berlin magistrate commissioned an urban development collective to redesign the Rathausstrasse. Under the direction of Heinz Graffunder, the architects Lothar Köhler, Peter Schweizer, Walter Wenzel, Dietmar Kuntzsch and Joachim Näther worked out the concrete development plans. The town hall passages were seen as the socialist response to the Unité d'Habitation building and the Corbusierhaus by the architect Le Corbusier . The designs are also to as a model Vertical City of Ludwig Hilberseimer to name. The complex was realized according to the plans created in this way by VEB WBK Berlin and the construction management of special projects of the capital Berlin under the direction of Erhardt Gißke .
The drafts and artistic designs for the base construction, the inner courtyards and the open spaces go back to Eberhard Horn and Dietmar Kuntzsch.
A mixed use was planned from the beginning. While shops and pubs were accommodated on the ground floor, while the terrace floor designed as a walkway on the first floor accommodated doctor's offices and kindergartens, the upper floors were reserved for tenants. The shop zone on the lower floors was one of the most exclusive shopping centers in the GDR at the time . It offered selected shops such as the Haus der Mode , the Hans Sachs shoe store , the Ostseeschmuck jewelry shop , the fur salon, the Helena beauty salon , the ski hut winter sports outfitter , the Takt und Ton musical instrument shop , the Delikat delicatessen store , a branch of the Finnair airline and other shops. Many shops served as a central place of representation for clothing, jewelry, shoes and cosmetics produced in the GDR.
Other facilities included Post Office 2, the Morava wine restaurant , the Berlin coffee house , the Rendezvous café , the Espresso café and the Zum Gold broiler grill restaurant , later: Zur Haxe . The Ketwurst and the B300 were connected for out-of-home sales . In the basement there was also a bowling center with 18 lanes.
Rathauspassagen under construction, 1969
Rathauspassagen, 1979
Café Espresso , 1971
House of Fashion at the back of the Rathauspassagen, 1978
Design concept
General
The design for the Rathauspassagen was based on a concept that was new at the time, which not only included the architecture, but also art, garden design, interior design and illuminated advertising. This effort was related to the outstanding importance of the complex: The Rathauspassagen was not only planned as a shopping center, but was also a showcase for the achievements of the GDR economy. That is why a particularly sophisticated design concept was developed for the complex. In doing so, the planners endeavored to combine the various design elements into a harmonious unit, into a total work of art .
architecture
The original building complex consists of two rear transverse wings and a two-story flat body, assembled in reinforced concrete - skeleton construction . Five residential building wings of the type P2 slab construction rise from the flat structure on stilts .
However, the prefabricated building was modified in accordance with the particular urban significance of the Rathauspassagen:
On the one hand, the apartments should be more representative, which is why they were designed to be significantly larger than normal P2 apartments. This was achieved through a greater building depth.
On the other hand, the panels were clad with special materials. Red clinker bricks from Großräschen and Zahna were used for the two elevator and stairwell shafts of the main wing along Rathausstrasse and all gables . This created an optical connection to the Red City Hall. In addition, the two staircase towers on Rathausstrasse correspond with the staircase towers on the opposite block on Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse. The facets of the living quarters, which are structured in a multi-faceted manner, take up the design of the Alexanderhaus , Berolinahaus and the TV tower. For this, white marble chippings in light Wolfen cement and blue glass mosaics from Reichenbach were used. Another special feature was the spiral staircase made of exposed concrete in the central courtyard of the complex, which originally provided access to the terrace floor.
The facades and gables of the elevated residential wing have been preserved in their original form, the shopping center below has been completely rebuilt and reshaped.
Interior design
The interior architecture was also designed with great effort by different architects. Since the Rathauspassagen also served as a performance show for the GDR industry, the aim was to present the goods as effectively as possible. Particularly striking examples were:
- Jewelery shop Ostseeschmuck , architect: Achim Maler
This shop was equipped with spheres and hemispheres made of transparent piacryl in which the jewelery was presented. An effective lighting of the jewelry enhanced the effect of the exhibits. White furniture contrasted with the spheres. - Shoe salon Hans Sachs , architect: Peter Schubring
In the shop, the decorators presented the shoes in glass showcases. Armchairs made of red foam leather completed the exclusive atmosphere. - Beauty salon Helena , architect: Christiane Mikuschies
In this shop, cylindrical showcases hung from the ceiling, making them seem weightless. The cosmetic articles were displayed in these showcases. Here, too, effective lighting ensured an effective presentation of the goods. -
Ski hut , architect: Joachim König
A rustic building character was sought here. Therefore, the shop was equipped with cabinets and wall paneling made of pine wood. A fireplace and hand-knotted carpets also added to the rustic atmosphere. - Musikinstrumenteladen Takt und Ton , Architect: Achim Maler
Here the instruments were (also) presented in large glass showcases. A room that was clad with wood veneer for good acoustics was also used to demonstrate instruments. - Fashion salon Haus der Mode , architect: Achim Maler
Attempts were also made here to create the most generous and exclusive sales atmosphere possible. Design elements were wood veneers, leather armchairs, flower boxes and pendant lights.
Art conception
A collective of artists and art scholars led by Gerhard Stelzer developed an extensive art concept for the Rathauspassagen. The overarching theme was: Socialist Community - Embodiment of Real Humanism . A large part of the realized works of art was removed during the renovation in 2002-2004.
The following works of art were executed:
| designation | material | Artist | Location | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pacemaker collectives | Bronze plates on concrete | Gerhard Rommel | East side, free-standing | receive |
| Berlin life | blue-white glass mosaic | Rolf Lindemann , Hans Vent | East side, outer walls | eliminated |
| Old Berlin types | Fountain, bronze | Gerhard Thieme | Central courtyard | eliminated |
| Water basin | Rudolf Kaiser , Wolfgang Weber | West side | eliminated | |
| Berlin humor | Ceramic reliefs | Regina Junge, Astrid Danegger | West side, outer walls | eliminated |
| Ornaments and figures | Glass mosaic and ceramics | Gertrud Triebs | Outside walls of the day nursery | covered by thermal insulation |
| enjoyment of life | four faiences | Christa collector | Interior of the Morava restaurant | eliminated |
| Traditional costumes from five wine-growing countries | Wooden sculptures | Lothar Sell | Interior of the Morava restaurant | eliminated |
| Work and leisure | Mural, enamel | Adam Kurtz | Post office counter hall | eliminated |
| Motifs from historic Berlin sports events | Aluminum reliefs | Baldur Schönfelder | Bowling center | eliminated |
advertising
The DEWAG Berlin advertising agency developed a uniform advertising concept for the Rathauspassagen , which was also implemented with a high level of design. It consisted of the illuminated advertising systems for the shops and restaurants on the basement floors. Illuminated lettering was used that followed a uniform design principle. Other design elements were luminous cubes that also indicated the shops. In this way, a uniform appearance of the Rathauspassagen should be achieved.
Movable motifs were also used in individual cases. Illuminated advertising was put up at the bowling center, showing movable pins when it was dark, and the Morava wine tavern was equipped with glowing grapes.
In contrast, advertising elements on the gable ends of the apartment blocks and in the ridge area of the staircase towers had no direct reference to the town hall passages. The gable ends on Grunerstrasse carried advertising systems for women's magazines from the publishing house for women and for products from VEB Berlin-Kosmetik . Advertisements for Ruhla clocks found their place on the staircase towers .
Redevelopment
From 2002 to 2004 (official opening: June 10, 2004) the Rathauspassagen underwent a complete renovation according to plans by the architects RKW Rhode Kellermann Wawrowsky and Kny & Weber . A large multi-storey car park was added as an extension at the back of the building facing Grunerstraße, which stretches over the entire length of the building, for which parts of the original structure had to give way. After gutting and renovating the basement floors, the owner, Wohnungsbaugesellschaft Berlin-Mitte mbH , developed the Rathauspassagen into a fully-fledged shopping center. The front side facing the tram also received an extension over a width of 25 meters.
reception
In 2006, Oliver Päßler published Street Number One, a film portrait of the town hall passages. For the film, he interviewed former and new residents of the building complex, who were mostly positive about the change that had taken place.
Others
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- In October 2012, the death of Jonny K. occurred in front of the Rathauspassagen . The young man's death attracted a great deal of attention nationwide. At the alleged crime scene, a permanent memorial has been created with a brass plate.
- The former Senate Building Director Hans Stimmann is considered an opponent of the passages. A few days after the attacks of September 11, 2001 , he demanded that the best thing would be "to throw a bomb on it [on the town hall passages]". The comments led to considerable criticism. Stimmann later apologized for his statement.
literature
- Architecture guide GDR Berlin . VEB Verlag für Bauwesen, Berlin 1976 (2nd edition)
- Ruth Pape, Erika Neumann: Fine arts and architecture , catalog, part 6, supplement, Berlin (East), 1974
- Gerhard Stelzer: A wide field of creative possibilities , in: Bildende Kunst , issue 8/1972, pp. 366–371 and 413
Web links
- Luisenstadt educational association
- Report on the Rathauspassagen ( memento from February 6, 2013 in the web archive archive.today )
- Town hall forum at www.deutsches-architektur-forum.de.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Architecture Guide GDR Berlin , p. 13.
- ↑ Architecture Guide GDR Berlin , p. 44.
- ^ Chronicle of wanton self-evacuation - The story of modernization and destruction . In: Berliner Zeitung , June 25, 2018
- ↑ a b Heinz Graffunder: New development on Rathausstrasse. In: Deutsche Architektur , Heft 6/1973, pp. 340–353
- ↑ ibid, pp. 348-353.
- ↑ Ruth Pape, Erika Neumann: Fine arts and architecture , catalog, part 6, supplement.
- ↑ Rathauspassagen reopened in Berlin. In: BauNetz .
- ^ Berlin urban development authority with information on the renovation of the passages .
- ^ Street number one , website of the film
- ^ Report on the film in the Berliner Zeitung
- ↑ Memorial plaque for Jonny K. In: Potsdamer Latest News
- ↑ The stone face of Berlin. In: the daily newspaper , March 9, 2006
Coordinates: 52 ° 31 '10.8 " N , 13 ° 24' 37.5" E