simulacra dancing

What a place. One square, you turn around and are captured by the full intensity and scariness of Berlin's architectural desires and dreams. All the ideas of national grandesse, of wanna-be Paris.

The Unter den Linden 1 Bertelsmann house, reevoking the idea of the grand boulevard, a boulevard that never was. And this thin plastic wall, sponsered by an energy company, reminiscing the Schinkel Bauakademie. Beautiful Prussia, 2D quote of style and simplicity, counterprogram to the fat and disfigured Schloss.

Then, the Temporäre Kunsthalle, expression of an arts scene in need of bright colours in order to feel itself, particularly in times of the market going bust. And yes, lest one forgets: the old Staatsrat of boring old GDR, integrating in a near postmodern pastice way the front gate of the Berlin Castle. (Hm, why could it not simply remain the sole castle memory? The whole area is already haunted by the Schlossghost, unnerving shadow of a huge building that has never really been the center of the city, and that will never be, even when the Las Vegas reconstruction will have been finished in some 20 years time).

Finally, the counterprogram. Friedrichwerdersche Kirche, for me the world's most elegant church. So much stronger than the other semi-architectural games at this place. So real that in this area of simulations, it does not quite fit in. In fact, it fits in nowhere, too stylish for a church. Hence, it is not used as a church, but has to function as a shy and slightly emparassed exhibition space for 18th century statues. Which it does with great grace.

And who else would be looking at all this but the man Schinkel. What he thinks of it he does not tell. Probably finds it amusing more than anything else.