Berlin's Big Boom

[FavreKev04 13]

Since Hitlers down fall in World War 2, Parts of Berlin where controlled by Russia. With the down fall of Communist Russia Berlin was given back to Germany. For many years the city has showed it's scar's from the War that happened 40 years ago. Now Berlin is Changing their look.

Now Berlin's downtown is filled with skyscrapers. Building new Apartments, Commercial buildings, train station and more. The face of Berlin is changing for the better, and it only can get better.

Here's a link to some project's underway http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/ci/bu/cs/?id=100559

Here are a few images of Berlin

So what do you guys think.?

[topcliff 1]

I always thought Berlin was a cool city and stuff. Full of history (from the other side, of course) and stuff. That, and I want to visit the Fersehnturm. I have a plan to visit every observation deck in the world in my lifetime (I hope). Also, I don't like admitting this, but the total Italian teen is part German. Leonardo

[FavreKev04 13]

Thats a pretty big dream. I want to travel to Europe one day, visit London, Paris, Berlin, and Amsterdam.

[kawan 6]

Pretty nice - loads of cities are now redeveloping and building more skyscrapers, like my hometown of Manchester. And London.

[Micah 16]

Almost every city on Earth (except many parts of Africa) is going through a huge boom of skyscrapers. Although I'm impressed, I'm not surprised.

[Almighty Nienaber 3]

Yea, alot of citys are going into a Skyscraper Boom. like the whole world is... well, kind of the whole world.

[giorgos69 53]

I am more impressed with the ones that are not going into a skyscraper boom but easily could with their large economies ie. Athens.

[tohokingdom 0]

I'm going to say something that may offend people.

But.

Hitler's Berlin would've been AMAZING in real life.

So grandiose.

But.

Thank god he didn't win.

That would be bad.

But still. His Berlin would've been amazing, kinda like Old Rome.

I remember on SC3U the Berlin Scenario was always my favorite. Reunification.

I think they should remember their war time heritage though and retain parts of the Berlin wall.

So they don't forget.

[SimFox 804]

Well couple of corrections, Berlin doesn't really built any skyscrapers as of yet. There were some projects for Alexanderplatz, but none were or is going to be built. The reason is quite weak demand. As is Berlin has got excess of the office space. City economy isn't doing terribly well. Unemployment is VERY high and business refuses to relocate from West (places like Frankfurt, Köln, Hamburg and Münich) to new (old) capitol. A lot of new construction is financed by the state and houses relocated offices of Chancellor, President and parliament. This said, the city is great it is probably the most important cultural center of Europe (possible cause it is cheapest big city in Europe) Is very liberal and has great if a bit kinky night life!

I must admit I also have a soft spot for Bombastic totalitarian architecture.

Besides why should everyone built skyscrapers?? Also tall doesn’t mean good. Berlin is, in fact, featuring some of best modern architecture anywhere although on much small scale. 

All in all it is a Fab city!

[ilikehotdogsalot 311]

indeed, simfox is correct. berlin isn't really going through a skyscraper boom, much more of an redevelopment boom. there are many historical places being rebuilt, renovated, or expanded, and new office spaces [more low - med rise] being built. there are very few skyscrapers in berlin right now actually.

[Johan_91 179]

I heard that they have many empty houses in Berlin too, since people leave the city 'cause of high unemployment rate. Many go to the west parts of Germany, Ruhr Area etc.

[DuskTrooper 316]

Originally posted by: SimFox

Well couple of corrections, Berlin doesn't really built any skyscrapers as of yet.

quote>

So, Potsdamer Platz does not count?

Most of the highrise Potsdamer buildings are only around 30 stories, but they're still "skyscrapers"...

[Glenni 1,447]

I'm  sorry but what boom are you talking about?Yes alot of Berlin is redeveloped, but it doesn't really have a skyscraper boom.. most of the highrises that were built are from the 90's anyway.

[SimFox 804]

PotsdamerPlatz! yes... all 3 of them! :-)

I would say it is very odd place, maybe because it isn't finished yet, or not "lived in" yet... as a complete space I wouldn't call it a success... It is WAY to artificial and pretentious. This may pass with years but the original design in it's attempt to recreate prewar hub of the cityLIFE had failed so far. Not that each of the individual building around it is bad. Some are excellent (DB tower and Sony Center), but as the whole it is way too artificial.

For instance those tree on the picture. They pretend to be a part of some dense "forest" of towers, but when you are on the actual square you see that they are sticking out of nowhere. They grow in the rather empty space. And as such look absolutely unjustified and pretentious, also making the entire square space rather lump sided.

Also that much heralded redevelopment is VERY slow in coming. All around the city you see started and frozen /abandoned construction/redevelopment sites. There is simply NO money for the grand capitol rebuilding. In fact the city of Berlin is bankrupt (at least it was a couple of years ago, and I doubt situation had improved. This is the only capitol in Europe that is actually LOSING population. And lost quite substantial amount of it since reunification (by some estimates as much as 400 000 people!) As a result property prices in Berlin are lower than in Budapest or Prague (never mind places like Paris, Madrid, London or Moscow) but the development costs are still rather high. As a result not much get’s built.

Still despite of this or may be BECAUSE of this other NON business side of the city is thriving!! I would live in Berlin only if I could make enough money there (and that is a major problem!!)

[FavreKev04 13]

Just to clear this mess, Allot of apartments are being made, and also many offices are now slowly starting to appear. These building some times go up to 10 floors. There small skyscrapers, not big one but small ones. If you seen, they have to use cranes for allot of new building's because there big.

[FavreKev04 13]

o by the way, it says nothing about skyscrapers in the title, it says Berlins big boom. Read next time before pointing your finger.

[the Monkeys Uncle 35]

10 storeys is not a skyscraper, especially for a city of 3 and a half million people. Hell, even Guelph, my hometown (which has only 130,000 people) has lots and lots of those. 20 storeys is sort of notable, 30 storeys is getting closer to skyscraper status.

[AndreNolde 0]

You forget that the germans(I am one) are very cautious in building scyscrapers because in germany the high politicians in the cities don't want to destroy the old skyline with highrise- buildings. i think its very terrible but in france or in Uk there is the same problem i think. Ok london is is an except but there are also not very high Buildings sure there are high buildings but the city has "10 million inhabitants"(The highest scyscrapers of europe except those in russia are placed in Frankfurt)

also Berlin is charactersized by more than 30 years of dividing and were heavily damaged in the 2nd world war, many old buildings were destroyd. And the developement stoped.

[AndreNolde 0]

The "Messeturm Frankfurt"

[AndreNolde 0]

Commerzbank Tower Frankfurt

[Micah 16]

AndreNolde, again, can you please combine all of your posts?

[City2TheMax 3]

It's funny: I was born in East Berlin, and my first word was "crane". I see this as a great opportunity for Germany to revitalize itself, sort of like a new start for the 21st century (they kinda messed up in the 20th century several times =P). I do believe in protecting historical structures, but at some point everyone has to move on.