The “Windmühlenstraße-Kiez” was a listed living quarter that housed a big community of young families, pensioners, students, artists and creative people and grew over one decade. It's located close to the city center and due to its non modernised living standard it provided affordable rents for people with normal to little income. Within the block that borders three streets, an infrastructure with small shops, a cafe, a gallery and studios has developed and it supported the whole area with creating a vivid sociocultural life.
The block was sold to a private investor.
After the new owner initially made promises to an initiative of the residents, soon gentrification showed is ugly face: disproportional rent increase, living incompatible construction work, broken promises, chicane and finally vacating.
A prime example of a gentrification process.
In my series I gave a last insight to the disappearing “Kiez“. The portraits of the inhabitants and their corridors are contradicting the harsh and gloomy appearance of the old-fashioned GDR-architecture only at first glance. A second view indicates that the lovingly diversity of the long-grown community continues even in small details, that are opposing the gray walls of the old quarter.
Today most of the former inhabitants are gone. The investor changed the face of the hole area. Furnished ready-made single apartments for students, pricey rented flats, owner-occupied apartments and a well known discounter.
The capital prevails and shapes new.
