architectural spaces

new70ties.JPG
A suburb of Munich in the seventies

There is currently something like a “Plattenbaunostalghia” in Berlin, which manifests itself in Plattenbau-esthetics-designed clubs or things like this Plattenbauquartett available everywhere in Berlin-Mitte. Last not least there are still some eastgerman Plattenbaus even in Berlin Mitte.

While the east german Plattenbaubuildings built in the 70/80ties actually rather meant a social upgrade at that time, their west german analogs (in Berlin-West this is Gropiusstadt and the Maerkische Viertel) were intended to provide cheap living spaces.

If these kind of quarters are badly connected to public transport then either the explosive social mixture of the seventies is still prevalent or they become the victim of the shrinking cities phenomenom (see also ping mag). Likewise east german Plattenbaubuildings in rather remote locations experienced a social devaluation. Besides the bad connection to the inner city, one reason for the devaluation is of course that these buildings are badly built. You can hear almost every word of your neighbours and you better do not practise a music instrument.

Someone I know gave me the above old seventies view from her childhood appartment and chatted a bit about kid-gangs at that time. Luckily there was a public library which was her refuge. She said: This kind of environment is supposed to make you tough.

2 Responses to “architectural spaces”

  1. Richard Frey-Grosshusen Says:

    I recognized the image. It is around Wiesentfelserstrasse in Neuaubing, isn’t it?

    You might be interested in reading the Sozialraum- und Lebensweltanalyse Neuaubing-Westkreuz , i.e. the social and living space analysis of Neuaubing-Westkreuz, which is still a problem quarter:

    p.5

    Das Sozialreferat der Landeshauptstadt München hat im Herbst 2010
    beschlossen eine kleinräumige Sozial- und Lebensweltanalyse für die Gebiete Neuaubing und Westkreuz durch die Sozialplanung zu erstellen. Diese Stadtteile wurden bereits im Juli 2010 vom Stadtrat als Untersuchungsgebiet für das Programm Soziale Stadt – Stadtteile mit besonderem Entwicklungsbedarf ausgewählt.

    It is interesting though that there was not so much fluctuation over the years. That is a lot of people have stayed there since they had been moving there in the sixties/seventies:

    p.10

    Anfang der 60er Jahre errichteten die EBG und die Deutsche Post an der
    Wiesentfelser- und Freienfelsstraße moderne, zum Teil acht Stockwerke hohe Wohnblocks, welche damals als der höchste Komfort an Arbeiter- und Beamtenwohnungen sehr geschätzt wurden.

    p.29

    Die Erstmieter, die in die Wohnungen rund um die Wiesentfelser Straße
    und die Kunreuthstraße zogen,sind heute 70-80 Jahre alt und kommen
    aus einfachen Arbeiterverhältnissen.

    p.51

    In Neuaubing gibt es unter den Familien große herkunftsbedingte Unter-
    schiede:
    Für die deutschen Eltern ist die generationenübergreifende Armut charakteristisch, d.h. diese Familien leben schon seit langer Zeit in relativer Armut, verfügen über langjährige Erfahrung im Umgang mit Armut und den zuständigen Behörden. Ohne Fremdhilfe können sie Ihren oftmals Alltag nicht bewältigen. Ihre Kinder, die inzwischen schon selbst Eltern geworden sind, können wiederum keine Alltagskompetenzen an ihre eigenen Kinder
    weitergeben. Dies betrifft laut der befragten Fachkräfte hauptsächlich das Haushalten des Sozialgeldes (Hartz IV) und die Ernährung der Kinder. Darüber hinaus vermitteln die Eltern wenig Konfliktfähigkeit, Durchhaltevermögen und emotionale Stabilität. Auch Schwierigkeiten im Einhalten von Kindergarten-, Schul- und Arztterminen häufen sich.
    So konnten manche Kinder an Ausflügen und Fahrten der Schule oder des Kindergartens nicht teilnehmen, da wichtige Unterlagen nicht rechtzeitig eingereicht oder keine passende bzw. ausreichende Kleidung vorhanden waren. Die Kehrseite davon ist, dass es hier immer wieder Kinder gibt, die sich erstaunlich gut selbst organisieren.

  2. Richard Frey-Grosshusen Says:

    I translate:

    p.10

    At the beginning of the sixties EBG and German Postal Services constructed modern, partially up to 8 storeys high building blocks at Wiesentfelser and Freienfels street, which were appreciated as providing the highest comfort in worker and civil servant appartments.

    p. 29

    The first tenants, which moved into the appartments around Wiesentfelser and Kunreuth street are nowadays 70-80 years old and come from humble working class homes.

    p.51

    -Depending on provenance there are big differences among the families in Neuaubing:
    For the german parents the main characteristic is the cross-generational poverty, i.e. those families have been living since a long time in relative poverty, they have long-term experiences with how to deal with poverty and the corresponding public authorities. They are often not able to master their daily routine without outer help. Their children, which became themselves parents, are not able to convey daily living skills to their own children. This concerns according to experts mainly economizing social care money (Hartz IV) and the nutrition of children. Apart from that parents convey only little conflict management, stamina and emotional stability. Also problems with observing preschool, school and pediatrician appointments accumulate.
    So some children couldn’t take part at school or preschool excursions and trips, because important documents were not handed in in time, or no suitable or sufficient garment was available. On the flipside on and off there are children which are remarkably able to get themselves organized.

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