Topic
The Post-war Transformation of Historic City Centres
The post-war reconstruction of historic city centres in the former GDR and Western and Northern Territories in Poland resulted in the development of various reconstruction models. The project traces the variety of strategies – from modernisation and functionality to a strong emphasis on identity and history.
Between the Necessary and the Beautiful: The Long-Term consequences of the Post-war Transformations of Historic City Centres after 1945 – Lessons from the former German Democratic Republic and Recovered Territories (Poland)
The project compares the diverse forms and outcomes of post-WWII reconstruction in cities of the former GDR and Poland’s Western and Northern Territories. Both regions experienced massive urban destruction and shared similar morphogenesis, size, demographic structures and economic potential. However, differing development opportunities during the communist period and the varying scope of socio-economic and political transformations after 1989 mean that the processes under study may differ significantly.
The interdisciplinary analysis combines quantitative and qualitative comparisons of the historical cores of selected cities. The study examines architectural and urban approaches to identify models of morphological transformation in these cities. It also compares the determinants and long-term effects of post-war reconstruction as well as the resulting changes in cultural landscapes and heritage.
