2023-08-30 17:58:42
Opinion Galeries Lafayette
What is behind the “chance of the century” for Berlin
As of: 5:58 p.m. | Reading time: 2 minutes
This is what Joe Chialo dreams of: a rendering of the new central library in the former Galeries Lafayette
What: Render Vision
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Actually, there is reason for melancholy: the move of the Galeries Lafayette from Friedrichstraße is sealed. But Berlin is hailing an “intelligent” proposal from new Senator for Culture, Joe Chialo. It’s about a “chance of the century”. What’s behind it – and what dangers it poses.
After the Friedrichstraße in Berlin, after a short episode as a pedestrian-bicycle zone, turned back into a gray and dreary city motorway, the next attempt to rescue the ailing shopping street is now being made.
Bettina Jarasch, as a short-term traffic senator, had the street filled with seat boxes in an urgent procedure and thus ruined her career, but now culture senator Joe Chialo (CDU) also wants to know about a conversion. And everyone is talking about a “chance of the century” that is also “intelligent”. You can rub your eyes: He wants to save Friedrichstrasse with students and books.
Books instead of Louis Vuitton
The Central State Library, one of the largest in Germany (it includes the America Memorial Library and the City Library), is to move into the Galeries Lafayette. The French department store with a long history and a shrinking present has been wanting to leave Berlin since 2019. They will close at the end of 2024. The galleries belong to the ensemble of quarters 205, 206 and 207.
Now there will no longer be fine cheese and Louis Vuitton in Jean Nouvel’s 207, but intellectual life and research exchange. After decades of discussion, one of the most visited cultural institutions in Berlin (1.5 million per year) is finally to be given a new home – within walking distance of Humboldt University. Not an expensive conversion, but a clever change of use.
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But is that possible? A spokesman for Chialo assured in the conversation: This is not a quick fix. One wishes the culture senator that the change of use was examined, the load capacity, the climatic possibilities and the fire protection. It could mean salvation for real estate investors Tishman Speyer. They only acquired the building in 2022 – and probably couldn’t find another tenant.
So a win-win situation? For the moment yes. In a few decades, however, the debate about the desolate Friedrichstrasse could start all over again when all the books are scanned and available online. But experience has shown that digitization is still a long way off.
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