KULTURPALAST

The Kulturpalast in Dresden – a striking example of modernist DDR architecture. Originally envisioned in the 1950s as a much taller building, the project was redesigned and completed in 1969 by architect Wolfgang Hänsch as the city’s cultural center. Since then, it has gone through two renovations, the most recent and major one (2012–2017) by gmp Architects, adding an impressive concert hall and upgrading the facades among other changes. Its rhythmic horizontal and vertical patterns, combined with the contrasting materials of the ground and upper floors, give the building its strong and iconic presence.