History and Significance of Hufeisensiedlung
Centennial celebration of equine habitation: a festival in Berlin
Celebrating its centenary, the Hufeisensiedlung in Berlin-Britz is set to host a unique festival titled "Experience Architecture - Live Community". This event promises a blend of concerts, readings, exhibitions, guided tours, workshops, salons, and children's activities, all aimed at bringing the ideas of the New Building movement into the present.
The Hufeisensiedlung is part of the modern settlements of Berlin, each with pioneering architecture for the 20th century. Built between 1913 and 1934, other settlements include the Garden City Falkenberg, the Schillerpark settlement in Wedding, the Wohnstadt Carl Legien in Prenzlauer Berg, the Weiße Stadt in Reinickendorf, and the Großsiedlung Siemensstadt in Charlottenburg.
These settlements were designed to offer tenements away from gloomy backyards and small apartments with outdoor toilets, a significant improvement for the time. The Hufeisensiedlung, a UNESCO World Heritage site, embodies this spirit of progress, with its clear forms pioneering the architecture of the 20th century.
The festival organisers believe that the ideas of New Building are still relevant, and the event will showcase how these ideas are still applicable in the present day. The opening ceremony will take place at the Fritz-Karsen School, featuring students and the Stegreif Orchestra Berlin. The grand finale will be held on the Hufeisenwiese, featuring a picnic, street food, Samba rhythms, and a musical journey through time.
Christoph Rauhut, Director of the Landesdenkmalamt, states that the spirit of the 1920s can be best felt through music and arts. The festival is supported by various partners, including Vonovia, the Landesdenkmalamt Berlin, and the Hufeisensiedlung Friends and Sponsors Association.
Join the celebration of the Hufeisensiedlung's centenary and experience the relevance of the New Building movement in today's world.
Today's festival, "Experience Architecture - Live Community", at the Hufeisensiedlung, will exhibit how the ideas of the New Building movement, such as clear forms and progress, are still applicable in our modern lifestyle, transforming homes-and-garden of the present. The grand finale on Hufeisenwiese will be a celebration of this transformation, featuring music, Samba rhythms, and a picnic with street food.
