SCHWERBELASTUNGSKORPER - BERLIN

SCHWERBELASTUNGSKORPER
BERLIN

ARCHITECTURE WALK WITH MARC GLODE

I WAS INTRODUCED TO THE 'HEAVY LOAD BEARING UNIT'

IN AN ARCHITECTURAL WALK THROUGH BERLIN LED BY MARC GLODE AS PART OF AN AUTOCENTER SUMMER ACADEMY COURSE IN JULY.

LOCATED IN TEMPLEHOF, IT WAS BUILT IN 1941 AS AN EXPERIMENT TO TEST WHETHER BERLIN'S SOFT SOIL WOULD SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF HITLER'S PLANNED 'TRIUMPHAL ARCH' FOR THE PROJECTED CITY OF 'GERMANIA'.

IT COMPRISES AN 18 METRE HIGH CONCRETE CYLINDER WITH TWO SEPARATE SPACES UNDERNEATH FOR INSTRUMENTATION.

THE STRUCTURE SANK 7 INCHES IN 3 YEARS OF TESTING SUPERSEDING THE EXPECTED MAXIMUM OF 2.5 INCHES, THUS MAKING THE PROJECT UNFEASIBLE.

HITLER DISMISSED THE FINDINGS!

BERLIN THOUGH WAS NEVER REDESIGNED AS 'GERMANIA'