City Short: Berlin

This film from Wallpaper magazine features artists and architects from Berlin discussing the city; it's potential as a creative space and the opportunities for designers to make their mark on both the environment and the history of the city. Carson Chan from PROGRAM describes the city as a 'free space' where the lack of an established structure makes it easy for anyone to find a space for their work and an audience. He thinks it is this freedom which attracts creative industries to Berlin and makes it a unique place to work. Wolfram Putz from GRAFT believes it is the 'unfinished narrative' which draws people to the city, the story of growth is continuing and it is exciting to feel like you could be a part of that story. I think the idea of the 'unfinished narrative' is really interesting. I think that some cities do feel as though their stories have finished, maybe due to the fact that they are so protected from development that they can't move forward or grow anymore. Parts of London also feel like this; the older, wealthier areas such as Mayfair, Chelsea and Kensington have not changed for decades and are unlikely to do so in the future. I think that is the interesting thing about the East End of London, it has constantly been in flux with the waves of immigrants that have settled there and it is continuing to grow and develop today.