Daniela Sandler

PhD

Daniela Sandler.

Daniela Sandler

PhD

Daniela Sandler

PhD

Associate Professor
Department of Architecture
Overview Work

Selected Work

Daniela Snadler book cover.

In Berlin, decrepit structures do not always denote urban blight. Decayed buildings are incorporated into everyday life as residences, exhibition spaces, shops, offices, and as leisure space. As nodes of public dialogue, they serve as platforms for dissenting views about the future and past of Berlin. In Counterpreservation: Architectural Decay in Berlin since 1989 (Corness University Press, 2016), Daniela Sandler introduces the concept of counterpreservation as a way to understand this intentional appropriation of decrepitude. The embrace of decay is a sign of Berlin’s iconoclastic rebelliousness, but it has also been incorporated into the mainstream economy of tourism and development as part of the city’s countercultural cachet. Sandler presents the possibilities and shortcomings of counterpreservation as a dynamic force in Berlin and as a potential concept for other cities. As a complement to Sandler’s book, Signale provides free public access to an image gallery documenting these spaces. The images showcase the diversity of examples of counterpreservation.