Publisher's Synopsis
Spanning the twentieth century and moving up to today, Barber's book offers a unique account of Berlin's development. He explores previously neglected material from the city's audio and visual archives to examine how people interacted with the city's streets, buildings, squares, and public spaces. He recounts a history of riots, ruins, nightclubs, crowds, architectural experiments, citywide spectacles, film, art, and performances, showing how these human forces have affected the structure of the city. Through this innovative approach, Barber offers a new way to think about modern urban spaces as corporeal spaces, and how people exert a cumulative effect on cities over time.