Plate East / West

Building with prefabricated panels—now commonly referred to as prefabricated construction—has not only had a major impact on the GDR. There were and still are numerous buildings in West Germany as well. Countless apartments were built using this construction method, especially in the 1960s to 1980s.

But why was this method used? What were the advantages and disadvantages? What was it like to live in a prefabricated building? Today, we urgently need many new apartments again. The focus is on modular, serial construction. So does prefabricated construction have a future?

The exhibition presents the different stages of prefabricated apartment construction in a variety of ways: The exhibits range from contemporary models, photos, designs, and an artistic room installation to playful approaches and interviews to a digital Tetris prefabricated building game. The various phases from 1945 to the present are presented—and we venture a look into the future.

Opening: February 27, 2026, 7 p.m.