Dresden in review: Prefabricated buildings should regain their GDR charm!

Dresden in review: Prefabricated buildings should regain their GDR charm!

The city of Dresden is facing a special challenge: Prefabricated buildings on Neustädter Markt are to be renovated in the typical GDR style. This measure follows the requirements of monument protection, which protect the external appearance of these buildings. Loud Picture The Neustädter Markt was declared a cultural monument in 2021, which has a significant impact on the renovation work in the city.

The prefabricated buildings that were built in the 1970s after Dresden was destroyed in 1945 have a charm all of their own. According to the Saxony State Office for Monument Preservation, the work is already underway. The housing provider Vonovia has started renovating 70 apartments. The plan is to paint the facades in a nostalgic oxblood red color and to recreate the plaster using panel construction. In total, the renovation costs amount to over five million euros and completion is scheduled for autumn 2026.

Monument protection and renovation

One of the special features of this renovation is that balconies will be dismantled and given their original exposed concrete look. The interior design is also designed to meet the needs of families; the apartments have sizes of 64 and 77 square meters. The monthly basic rent is currently 5.02 euros per square meter, but the rent increase after the renovation should be a maximum of two euros.

But this renovation is not without challenges. Environmental protection is currently taking a break from construction work: 40 breeding sites for songbirds and 100 for bats have been discovered in the area. It remains to be seen how the measures will develop and whether there will be further delays.

The Gorbitz example

Speaking of monument protection: Another complex project in the Dresden city area is taking place in Gorbitz. Here, Amalie-Dietrich-Platz, with the famous fairytale fountain, which was built in 1987, is also a listed building. Initiator Mathias Körner, a paramedic from Gorbitz, worked to ensure that the honor of these unique buildings is preserved. Gorbitz is considered the first new development area in Saxony with listed buildings.

The representatives of the Eisenbahner Housing Cooperative there see the situation as an opportunity: They are planning to renovate their properties in the spirit of climate-friendly construction, while at the same time respecting monument protection. An example of this is the original WBS 70 building, which remains intact and boasts ceramic-decorated facades with ornate panels. Further monument protection initiatives are already being planned.

In a larger context, it can be seen that monument protection is taking on an increasingly important role not only in Dresden, but also in other cities, such as Berlin-Mitte. There, 28 prefabricated buildings from the 1980s have been placed under monument protection and shape the cityscape. These developments give the current renovation projects in Dresden an additional dimension of cultural relevance.

Dresden's monument protection is more than just a regulation. It offers the opportunity to upgrade districts and preserve the unique charm of the former GDR architecture. It will be exciting to see how these projects develop and what influence they will have on Dresden's urban identity.