Debate: the conservation of the Berliner Stadtschloss, Berlin (Germany)
A debate: the conservation of the Berliner Stadtschloss, Berlin (Germany)
The Berliner Stadtschloss was possibly the most important administrative building in Prussia. From the 18th century until the fall of the German Empire at the end of the First World War it was also the main residence of the Hohenzollern family. In 1538, demolition work began on the original mediaeval castle, which was to be replaced by a palace designed by the architect Andreas Schlüter, who was responsible for the general layout. After Ferdinand I of Prussia’s coronation in 1701 it became a royal residence. In 1845 the Palace acquired its most modern features, with the addition of a large dome over the portal. In the Second World War it was damaged almost to the point of total destruction, and only a few ruins survived. Subsequently, Walter Ulbricht, main leader of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) decided to demolish it completely in 1950, as it was considered a Prussian emblem that was to be obliterated. In 1976, at the height of the Cold War, Eric Honecker inaugurated the Palace of the Republic, a modern building occupying the site of the Royal Palace. This building, with bronze mirrored windows, became the headquarters of the parliament of the GDR. Following German reunification in 1990 and the fall of the Berlin Wall the Humboldt Forum project was launched, aiming to rebuild the building after demolishing the Palace of the Republic. The demolition and subsequent reconstruction of the preliminary building began in 2006 in order to house a major cultural hub. This project detailed the creation of the “Humboldt Forum”, paying homage to Alexander von Humboldt. The building, with façades that were an exact replica of the original ones, was to contain a luxury hotel, temporary exhibition rooms for Berlin museums and a metro station. From 2013, a reconstruction programme was implemented which aimed, rather controversially, to follow the original style of the Royal Palace of Berlin restoring its urban presence and Baroque skyline. The three exterior façades followed the plans of Italian architect Franco Stella. However, the fourth façade, overlooking the Spree, incorporates contemporary forms, sparking a debate on the relationship between the set programme and historical memory in a monumental building with a tumultuous past.
EXERCISE: ANALYSIS OF THE CASE
Write a text of 150-250 words and fill the table