Public Urban Models in Berlin (“City Planning Concerns Us All” and the Post-War Model Vitrines)

Under the slogan “Stadtplanung geht uns alle an” (Urban Planning Concerns Us All), West Berlin’s Modellvitrinen brought visions of the city’s post-war reconstruction directly into public space. This book uncovers the largely forgotten history of these distinctive glass cases and the urban models they displayed. It examines how they transformed planning from a behind-closed-doors expert practice into a visible public matter, while revealing the tensions between communication and participation, transparency and control. Drawing on extensive archival research and a rich body of historical photographs, the book brings this overlooked chapter of West Berlin’s urban history back into view.

The companion volume Public Urban Models Paris traces a parallel history in the French context.

• Reveals a forgotten chapter of West Berlin's urban history
• Frames public model displays as sites of tension between transparency and control
• Extensive, rarely-seen archival photography