Underground Architecture

An exhibition on Berlin's metro stations from 1953–1994

Words By Erika Clugston
Photos By Chris M Forsyth, Richard Wagner Platz, Underground Architecture, Berlinische Galerie

Date: 16.02.19 – 20.05.19
Venue: Berlinische Galerie

All Berliners have a favorite U-Bahn station. Just ask anyone off the street, and they’ll lovingly describe the space by its distinctive grunge, quirk and personality. From the characteristic seafoam green tiles of Alexanderplatz to the colorful mosaics at the Jungfernheide and groin vaulted ceilings at Heidelberger Platz, Berlin’s underground spaces are uniquely charming and incredibly diverse.

Underground Architecture is an exhibition by the Berlinische Galerie devoted to celebrating the unique character and history of Berlin’s underground. It explores the origins, architectural concepts, and the way the spaces were impacted by the city’s divide between East and West. The exhibition looks specifically at metro stations built between 1953 and 1994, with more than 100 square meters and 60 exhibits devoted to examining the formal design of the post-war and post-modernist architecture. Currently 27 of the 82 U-Bahn stations are listed monuments, as they are celebrated sites of cultural identity.

The exhibition is runs from February 16th to May 20th. It will feature video footage and photography collections from architects and photographers: Chris M. Forsyth (*1995), Bruno Grimmek (1902–1969), Rainer G. Rümmler (1929–2004), Ralf Schüler (1930–2011) and Ursulina Schüler-Witte (*1933).

In conjunction with the exhibition, there will be an international conference, ‘Underground Architecture Revisited’, on Thursday 21.02.2019, 09:30–16:45. The public are invited to join conversationalists, architects, artists, and various experts to discuss the importance of the underground spaces as an integral part of Berlin’s heritage.

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