Baugruppen as Catalysts for New Urban Housing Quality

Abstract

In almost every German city, Baugruppen (building groups) have become a self-evident and accepted part of housing sector output in the last decades. In Berlin in particular, Baugruppen have been responsible for a minor revolution in the development and construction market. The by now more than 150 Baugruppen projects in Berlin appear to be not only a means to ward off the building crisis, but also contribute in architectural and social terms to the diversity and attractiveness of the city. Using the situation in Berlin as an example, insight is given into the spatial aspects that have contributed to the success of the Baugruppen phenomenon.