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:
“Probably more than youngsters at any age, early adolescents expect the adults they care about to demonstrate the virtues they want demonstrated. They also tend to expect adults they admire to be absolutely perfect. When adults disappoint them, they can be critical and intolerant.”
—The Lions Clubs International and the Quest Nation. The Surprising Years, I, ch.4 (1985)