Berlin's FEZ Transforms into a Breathtaking Monument!
Berlin's iconic FEZ-Berlin, a renowned children, youth, and family center, has been granted protected status, recognition of its long-held significance for Berliners. The decades-old facility, nestled in Wuhlheide, joins the ranks of historically and architecturally valuable buildings in the city.
Announcing the decision on Wednesday, Berlin Senate's Urban Development Senator, Christian Gaebler, said, "The FEZ Berlin holds a rich history and meaning for many Berliners, making it eligible for heritage protection."
This status, however, introduces some challenges. Chris Berghäuser, the FEZ Managing Director, explained, "Now, we need to coordinate all structural changes with the heritage authorities, adding more bureaucracy and extending project timelines."
Despite the added administrative hurdles, the boost in visibility and political attention brought by the status is expected to be beneficial.
The FEZ, originally the "Pionierrepublik Ernst Thälmann," boasts a park railway still in operation, with a vast annual visitor count of approximately 850,000. Future plans include completing the guest house by the lake and converting an old chlorine station into a green classroom. However, these changes will require approval from the heritage protection office.
Berlin's Landeskonservator, Dr. Christoph Rauhut, underlines the importance of such buildings from the late DDR era, with over 8,000 heritage-protected buildings in the city, including the Friedrichstadtpalast and the Planetarium.
Meanwhile, discussions persist about the dilapidated Sports and Recreation Center (SEZ) in Friedrichshain. Despite tests revealing no heritage value, both Rauhut and Senator Gaebler question the continued public operation of such facilities, raising the possibility of housing development priorities.
The FEZ Berlin's protected status, while introducing additional bureaucracy, is anticipated to bring a boost in visibility and political attention. As the home-and-garden plans for the FEZ progress, such as the completion of the guest house and transformation of the old chlorine station, they will need approval from the lifestyle-focused heritage protection office.
