Reshaping Cities

Abstract

Cities have been the theaters of state power for many centuries. What happens with the existing architecture in capital cities when fundamentally different state regimes take over? New regimes require new types of buildings for specific, ideologically sensitive social practices. Huge investments have been made by different new authorities in cities having been the scene of dramatic political, ideological and social changes. The main cases discussed here are Istanbul, Moscow and Berlin. It is argued that the architectural adaptations are revealing not only for the main ideological targets of new regimes—whereby the choice of architectural models and styles is highly signifying—moreover, the organization of the works is revealing for the social forces prevailing in the new regimes