FORM

Courtyards:

-       One of the most interesting things while building the model was realizing how many courtyards there really were.  However, when walking through the site, it was not outwardly apparent that they existed, which is a pity.  I want to make courtyards that enclose but are also open and inviting to anyone and everyone.

 

Passageway:

-       Currently, the site is mostly used as a shortcut for those cutting through from Oranienburgerstraße to Johanisstraße.  This isn’t necessarily a bad thing.  In plan, one of the most interesting aspects of the site is its openness.  In contrast to the blocks just north of the site, it has an open quality that is appealing.  I want people to keep passing through.

 

The City Block:

-       A recreation of the old Berlin city block seems to be the common reaction to voids left by the war.  Although some architects and city planners may disagree at this nostalgic view to urban design, it is a simple way to link the old with the new, which is a valuable thing.  I want to keep things the same but simultaneously make them unique and different.

 

Rebuilding Berlin – scaffolding, constructions sites, modernity:

-       One of the most simultaneously charming and intriguing characteristics of Berlin are the building sites, many, such as the Lehrter Bahnhof and quite extensive and apparent.   It is a physical reminder of the temporality of Berlin.  I want my design to illustrate this aesthetically and perhaps programmatically.