Suddenly Wonderful
Visions for chunky 1970’s architecture in West Berlin

“During the Cold War, some notable big buildings went up in West Berlin as new sites for research, education and cultural activity. They include the International Congress Centre (ICC Berlin, 1973–1979), also known as the “Battleship Charlottenburg”, the erstwhile Institute of Hygiene and Microbiology (1969–1974) and the former Central Animal Labs, nicknamed “Mäusebunker”, at the Freie Universität Berlin in Lichterfelde (1971–1981), and the tower restaurant in Steglitz better known as the “Bierpinsel”. While they made their mark on the urban landscape by dint of their sheer size, the popular nicknames coined by residents have likewise set their stamp on local parlance. …”