Hansaviertel Berlin

What visitors to the Hansaviertel see today, was once the “city of tomorrow.” Berlin’s Hansaviertel is not just a popular neighbourhood in the green heart of Germany’s capital, it is also an intact ensemble of architecture and landscaping characteristic of German post-war modernism. Created within the framework of the Internationale Bauausstellung, or Interbau 1957, it was listed as a heritage site in 1995, and in 2012 was nominated by the Berlin Senate for UNESCO’s list of world cultural heritage sites thanks to an initiative by local residents. Since its foundation in 2004, the association Bürgerverein Hansaviertel e.V. has been spearheading efforts in this direction. With the aim of maintaining the “city of tomorrow” in the spirit of its creators, the association, thanks to the expertise of its members and cooperation partners, has done a great deal towards promoting the preservation of the neighbourhood’s architecture and landscaping, gathering information about the neighbourhood, and contributing to its public representation and its vitality. This book is one result of our work. This compact architectural guide to Interbau 57 deals with the historical development, urban planning, and the architecture of the Hansaviertel. With explanations of the individual buildings, brief biographies of the architects, and an overview of the landscape planners and artists that participated in Interbau 57, we would like to highlight the special features of the ensemble that may not be noticed at first glance. The conclusion of the book offers suggestions for further reading on Interbau 57 and contact information for our association.