1989 BERLIN – ERASING THE URBAN BOUNDARY

When Germany, which was alone and the evil power of the Second World War with the influence of its rulers, was defeated, the effects of this were very effective on Germany. Especially the capital city of Berlin had become a playground for his enemies. So much so that the city was divided in the middle by a physical wall (hence it was divided in Germany, East and West Germany). While West Germany was under the influence of capitalist Europe and the US, East Germany was under the influence of the socialist USSR.

Germany after WW2

However, the Berlin wall was not erected immediately at the end of the war. After the wall was built in 1961, 12 years after the defeat of Germany in 1949, a real separation occurred. Of course, architectural approaches also got their share from this situation. The west of the city went to a capitalist construction and modern buildings were seen a lot. In the east, monumental structures and buildings reflecting political power and socialism were built.

The wall was not only a wall, but also contained watchtowers. The existence of the wall, on the other hand, caused the city to spread over a wider area than it should have been. In addition, Plattenbau (mass housing projects built with prefabricated concrete slabs), which can be seen in all Soviet countries, were also formed in Berlin.

Plattenbau

When the calendars showed 1989, it was decided to remove the wall, whose necessity was questioned, and the city was united again. After the fall of the wall, there was a sociological turmoil in the city. From an architectural point of view, in the continuation of this combination, the Soviet-influenced buildings in Berlin were also removed, just as the ideas in people’s minds were tried to be removed. What was effective in this was the victory of capitalism, which was also under the influence of the former West Germany, in the ideological conflict of that period.

Berlin Wall removal

1940 Rotterdam Carpet Bombing

Rotterdam was built beside a dam and was utilized for trade and commerce. Since the city was flooded, water has become an integral feature of the city. As a result, dikes have become increasingly significant in city development.

Because of its non-expandable terrain, the city grew overcrowded in the early 1900s. Because of the anticipated circumstances that would allow for economic development and mobility, as well as the port’s lack of infrastructure, the city needed to be renovated and modernized.

A growing desire for civic culture by a group of top port entrepreneurs and corporate executives has aided in the modernization and restructuring of the city. W. G. Witteveen and the Rotterdam Architects Society developed two distinct concepts: Opbouw and Opbouw (Building Up). The Witteveen concept included boulevards and avenues dominating the city, as well as magnificent urban places such as the Coolsingel. On the other side, Opbouw’s strategy was to break the customary perimeter blocks and establish a direct relationship between the cityscape and the building.

The city of Rotterdam was bombarded by Nazis on May 14, 1940. It was only a 15-second warning, but the carnage was massive. Many of the bombed-out structures caught fire. There was a significant amount of material damage. The Fire Line follows the burned-out city center’s perimeter.

After bombing – Rotterdam 14 May 1940

It was a calamity unlike any we’d seen before. We’ve seen natural calamities and their effects on the city, but this time it was man-made rather than natural. The end consequence, though, was the same. The city is changing. The Carpet Bombing may also be viewed as a chance to restore the city. What I mean is that the city has to be upgraded and altered. It was not enough for future generations, as we discussed. Attempts were made in the early 1900s, and bombing hastened the process.

1922 Great Fire of Izmir

Great Fire of İzmir – 1922

At the beginning of the 20th century, İzmir contained 5 groups of people who were separated from each other at certain rates and whose income level was determined according to their ethnic groups and spread throughout the city. If we count these areas and different cultures, we come across Turks, Greeks, Jews, Armenians, and Franks.

Although this fire took place in the Republican period, since it was still an early period, the groups and the characteristics of these groups reflected the characteristics of the Ottoman period. In this context, when we look at people from different cultures, Turks had a middle-class income level. They had wooden and clean houses. The Greeks, that is, Greeks were in a weak position in terms of status and were not considered hygienic. The Jews, on the other hand, were the poorest group in Izmir, although they showed themselves as the wealthy and engaged in commerce in the world. Armenians lived in the outer parts of the city and represented the merchant segment. The Franks were the most wealthy in the city. They lived in stone houses. The reason why these houses are mentioned is that there were advantages and disadvantages of two different types of houses. Although stone houses were resistant to fire, they were at risk of collapse in an earthquake. Wooden houses, on the other hand, were earthquake resistant but vulnerable to fire. In addition, it was more attractive for middle and lower-income levels with its cheap construction cost.

Fires, on the other hand, were not unprecedented events in the history of Izmir. It even started fires frequently, and the city’s firefighters found a solution to this situation. When there was a fire, pumps that took water from the sea were used so that the fires could be extinguished quickly. However, things did not go well in the fire of 1922, and three-quarters of the city was destroyed in the fire.

Plans of the new İzmir after the fire

An organized group was formed for restructuring and positive transformation in the post-fire process. Nobody owned it as all property was destroyed by fire, and it was like starting a brand new book. Areas destroyed by fire were rearranged according to the current population. While doing this, the cultural park was taken as a reference. Rather than the existing texture, they wanted a new and modern city and wanted to change the texture.

İzmir – 1930