Berlin: After the Growth: Planning Mobility Culture in an Environment of Dynamic Stagnation

Abstract

After more than twenty years since the fall of the wall and the unification of Germany Berlin is still searching for its proper role and functions in Germany and Europe. For this, Berlin has not only to redefine and plan anew its traffic infrastructure in relation to long-distance links within Germany and into the European sphere, but this redefinition translates also in a complete overhaul of its inner-city transport networks and spatial relations in accordance with the general city development. Basically, this revision of the urban form can be interpreted as the quest for a new centrality for a city with a strong polycentric legacy. Yet, this reinvention and reorganisation of the city between the poles of polycentric and centralising forces reflects a repeated historical experience for Berlin. It is the aim of this chapter to show how in line with its own history, Berlin attempts to venture this reorganisation basically by a top-down approach, with the assistance of a number of master plans and regulatory devices, while at the same time rather unregulated processes from “below” redefine many of the contested and iconic inner city areas, which are at the focus of this city transformation. The consequential encounter of these top-down and bottom-up developments reveals new conflicts about deviant notions of urban life.