Refurbishment urgent: FH Potsdam shows perspectives for the Gropius School

Refurbishment urgent: FH Potsdam shows perspectives for the Gropius School

Knesebeckstraße 1, 10623 Berlin, Deutschland - What's going on in Neukölln? In the Walter Gropius School, an important building of the 1960s, students of the Potsdam University of Applied Sciences show exciting photographic insights into the challenges of the school and Gropiusstadt. This settlement was once planned by Walter Gropius in response to the acute shortage of housing in West Berlin. But the shine of past days has faded - and not only in the Senate Hall, but also in the classroom. Meetingpoint Potsdam has come down and is urgently needed.

The Walter Gropius School is a figurehead of modern educational architecture, but the once futuristic design of the school was a vision as a “pavilion school” with class houses, workshops and open spaces, which now has to test the test. This was discussed in detail by Modern Regional . A lot has changed around the school, the original thought of creating a modern settlement for a large audience is no longer fulfilled.

insights into the exhibition

In order to create the necessary pressure for renewal, director Lars Neumann launched an exhibition in a collaboration with the FH Potsdam. This bears the title "A social question" and runs until January 29, 2026 in the "The Temporary Bauhaus Archive" on Knesebeckstrasse in Berlin. Here the students present their results, which were created over two semesters as part of intensive research. Admission to this informative exhibition is free, the opening times are daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., except on Sundays and public holidays. The exhibition should not only indicate the deficits in the structural substance, but also to the basic social issues that are connected with it.

But what is the solution to the numerous challenges that affect Gropiusstadt and especially the school? Here the energetic neighborhood concept comes into play, which was launched by the city planners. This not only deals with the structural modernization, but also tries to take into account the climate crisis. berlin.de emphasizes that there is a conflict of goals between the need for energetic renovation and the associated financial burden for the tenants. Here the goal is to find socially compatible solutions that reduce both CO2 emissions and keep rents in the district stable.

A call to action

The condition of the Walter Gropius School and Gropiusstadt comprises more than just structural renewal. It is about the future of living, learning and life in a quarter that was once considered a model settlement. There is a lot to the residents, urban development and the architectural students in order to revitalize the spirit of Gropius' and to bring today's social issues to a sustainable result. Because in a quarter that fights with many challenges, nobody should be left behind. The exhibition and the associated discussions are an important step in the right direction.