Critical reconstruction is a theory regarding the reconstruction of Berlin following the fall of the Berlin Wall; it aims to define the “central role of the city” and “invent the contemporary equivalent”.
Goals include a return to traditional urbanism, with building size limited to one block, and building codes that encourage development that mimics pre-war Berlin. Development schemes that preserve or restore pre-war street patterns are preferred. Stone and ceramic exteriors are favored over steel and glass. This design theory is a response to the many failed urban redesign projects in both sides of Berlin during the Cold War; rather than attempt to design a completely new city, proponents of critical reconstruction want to return to the functionality of the pre-war city.
Famous quotes containing the word critical:
“Productive collaborations between family and school, therefore, will demand that parents and teachers recognize the critical importance of each other’s participation in the life of the child. This mutuality of knowledge, understanding, and empathy comes not only with a recognition of the child as the central purpose for the collaboration but also with a recognition of the need to maintain roles and relationships with children that are comprehensive, dynamic, and differentiated.”
—Sara Lawrence Lightfoot (20th century)