Seven subway stations of the German capital’s U7 subway line recently were declared protected buildings as important examples of post-war modernity. Anyone with a subway ticket, which costs about $3, can take a 2-hour tour of Berlin’s post-modern subterranean gallery. Eighty-eight of Berlin’s 173 subway stations are now protected.
A Berlin senator for culture, Klaus Lederer, said: “Our diverse architectural heritage can be old or new, modern or post-modern or even useful in everyday life, like these now protected subway stations of the U7 line.”Rainer Gerhard Rümmler (1929-2004) designed the seven listed subway stations: Rathaus Spandau, Altstadt Spandau, Zitadelle, Haselhorst, Paulsternstraße, Rohrdamm and Siemensdamm.Rümmler was greatly influenced by conditions above ground. For instance, his floral design of the Paulsternstrasse subway station was inspired by a story told to him by an innkeeper called Paul Stern.There was a factory above this station, I’m guessing.Artists, please use the comments to tell us what this one is about.Not sure what thrilled the panel of judges about Haselhorst.Maybe the floor?A bit more conventional.The ceiling got the treatment here.Oldtown Spandau got the refrigerator theme.Carried through to the platform.Western end of the string of newly protected stations. This is Rathaus (city hall) Spandau.The dark, rich, expensive-looking finish makes me think the mayor comes to work on the subway.
The protected stations can still be refurbished, in cooperation with the conservation office, or for instance have elevators added to make them barrier-free.
The U7 line has 40 subway stations and, at 19.8 miles, is the longest subway line in Berlin.
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