1971 | Finn Bartels & Christoph Schmidt-Ott
Ordensmeisterstraße 60, Berlin
Constructed using prefabricated concrete panels, this large residential and commercial complex is renowned for its utilitarian and austere appearance, which is characteristic of brutalist design. [W1]
The building's distinctive façade has made it a popular location for television productions, including episodes of the crime series "Tatort" and the drama "4 Blocks”. [W2] This complex is one of four similar projects that the architectural duo, in collaboration with the esteemed structural engineer Stefan Polónyi, realized in Berlin during the peak of brutalist architectural practice from 1968 to 1971.
Each building showcases the stark, raw concrete aesthetics and functional design principles typical of the era, reflecting a broader architectural movement that favored structural honesty and material simplicity.
Sources: [W1] https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartels_&_Schmidt-Ott
Photos: Eric Bauermeister
