Design
Alexanderplatz Is Difficult to Love, But Berlin Wants to Save It Anyway
Newfound affection for the drab, East Berlin square.
It was all supposed to be gone by now.
Ever since the Berlin Wall came down, planners have intended to sweep away the hulking modernist blocks surrounding Alexanderplatz, East Berlin’s central square. Largely built around 1970 as communist East Germany’s ultimate urban showcase, this huge plaza subsequently became Exhibit A for people protesting the alienating effect of late 20th century architecture. But while its greying blocks and tatty stores once acted as a symbol of East Germany’s failings, Alexanderplatz’s star seems to be rising once more.