SEZ - The (Im)possibility of an Island

The exhibition on the Berlin Sports and Recreation Center (SEZ)—which is currently the subject of heated debate and slated for demolition—presents not only numerous documents from the time of its construction that document the complex and controversial history of the building’s creation between East and West in the frontline city of Berlin, but also the original architectural model of the SEZ in its dilapidated state, for whose restoration donations are currently being collected.

Due to vacancy and “misuse,” the building itself is in a condition comparable to that of the model and is currently sparking a wide-ranging discussion about public and third places, places that provide essential services in the city, and the necessity of preserving architectural substance to safeguard and perpetuate our cultural identity—extending to questions of resource efficiency in the debates surrounding preservation, additional construction, and demolition.

The exhibition aims to shed light on this debate by taking an in-depth look at the building’s architecture, the circumstances of its creation, and the social tensions surrounding it. It serves as a collection of materials and a reading room to competently address these topics, particularly in the context of the planned IBA Berlin 2034–37, which intends to focus specifically on additional construction and renovation.

Opening: August 28, 2026, 6:30 p.m.
Speakers: Sophie Plagemann, Kerstin Faber, Dr. Hanno Hochmuth, Prof. Kay Fingerle, Ludwig Heimbach

Talk: September 17, 2026, 7 p.m.

Curated by Kay Fingerle und Ludwig Heimbach