Zaha Hadid and Will Alsop on Stresemannstrasse

A few more shots of Zaha Hadid’s housing block as part of the 87 IBA, a modest affair when judged against her recent angular structures, but a rare early work from the days ‘before she was famous’.

The block directly next door is by Will Alsop, and is offices rather than housing, but is likewise a low key design compared with his later ‘blobs on sticks’ icon-making. The block is split into two parts on the main elevation, and is not particularly photogenic from this angle. The courtyard elevations at the back are of more interest.

For the record, the Alsop building was not part of the IBA.

Ignore the various pink pipes in front of both buildings - these squirm all over Berlin, ad will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. They seem to be there to pump water out of construction sites (essentially, Berlin has been built in a swamp).

Zaha Hadid block, main elevation

…and from the rear

Some of the detailing not very robust though

Side street elevation

From Stresemannstrasse - note that three storey building to the left is part of the block

The Will Alsop block(s), view down Niederkirchner Strasse

…and the ‘better’ elevation to the rear

Junction of the two Alsop blocks - the detailing of the facade to the left quite interesting when you get close

View from side street (taken from the Hadid block)