Marzahn vs. Wascana Greens

            The design of Berlin’s suburb Marzahn differs from Regina’s Wascana Greens in a variety of different ways. When building the Marzahn, the government focused on how to build it in the most efficient way possible due to the housing problem during the time period. The Marzahn consisted of a vast amount of apartments in order to hold a large amount of people and were not built for comfort, as some of them did not contain running water. The Marzahn aimed at targeting the socialist’s model citizens of Eastern Berlin. The social system within the Marzahn did not target class, however it did target age as it was filled mostly with young people.

            Like the Marzahn, Wascana Greens offers wide streets and green spaces for children to play. Wascana Greens also aims to create a family oriented neighborhood, as did the Marzahn. However, Wascana Greens main selling goal is to be a safe neighborhood. Thus it appeals to those of the middle or upper class as the price range for the houses are rather high. The houses in Wascana Greens are quite private therefore the suburb only offers a selection of houses. These houses are equipped with spacious backyards for all of the residents as well as a large amount of room within the house itself. Berlin’s Marzahn is based more on community, as an entire metropolis was created for it’s residents. Each of the houses has a selection of unique characteristics for its buyers in order to make them stand out, unlike the Marzahn, which was painted all one color when it was built. 

Sources:

Rubin, E. (2011). Concreate Utopia: Everyday life and socialism in Berlin-Marzchn. Bulletin of the German historical institute supplement, East German material culture and the power of memory, 29-31.