Annotated Bibliography
Ian Riggs
“Berlin Property Market 2020.” Guthmann, Guthmann Estate, 19 March 2020, https://guthmann.estate/en/market-report/berlin/.
This article discusses the real estate market in Berlin from an investor’s perspective, offering a variety of statistics. In doing so, the article provides an overview of Berlin’s housing supply, breaking it down on the district level. Furthermore, the article explores the problems with low construction levels, also at the district level, and looks at the changes in rent prices over time. Looking at this issue of rents, there has been a “reduction in the number of offers and a shift from the lower price segment to the middle and higher segments has been taking place in parallel with the price increase” (“Berlin Property Market”). This source may be useful as an exhibit source, as it provides valuable statistics, especially the data that is broken down to the district level, which could then be used in conjunction with discussions of green space at this level. However, it is also possible that there is limited use for this data should the paper not go in that direction as the data from the wider housing market is better from other sources.
Bertram, Christine and Katrin Rehdanz. “The Role of Urban Greenspace for Human Well-being.” Ecological Economics, vol. 120, 2015, pp. 139-152, doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2015.10.013.
This scholarly article quantifies the benefit of urban greenspace for the well-being of an individual, using Berlin as the test case. To do this, a survey was conducted in Berlin’s inner districts to determine the impact green space has on an individual’s subjective well-being. When adjusted for other factors, the study found that there is a significant benefit of certain levels of greenspace with a U-shaped pattern (benefits highest at a discovered midpoint). In discussing the implications of the amount of greenspace in Berlin, the authors write, “As three-quarters of the respondents have less than this [calculated ideal] amount of urban greenspace available in their living environments, green space is, overall, in insufficient supply in the case study area in Berlin” (Bertram and Rehdanz 149). This article could work well as an exhibit source, as it quantitatively shows the value of urban greenspace for individuals and gives a prescriptive amount of what is ideal for Berlin specifically, meaning it can be contrasted with demands for construction on green space.
Borden, Dan. “Save Berlin: Desperate Measures.” EXBERLINER, Iomauna Media, 16 March 2018, www.exberliner.com/features/zeitgeist/save-berlin-desperate-measures/.
This popular article explores the strange ways public and private groups are attempting to provide more housing in Berlin. Borden writes about hated buildings being turned into apartments and grocery store Aldi building low-rent apartment blocks above its stores. The author also discusses distasteful apartment construction, including on sites of concentration camps or the Berlin Wall. Borden concludes on the somber note that “As our own real estate values rise, expect to see more Berlin history trampled to put roofs over our heads.” This source could be used as a background source, as it provides an argument regarding what is happening in Berlin that may not necessarily be the most useful to integrate into the rest of the paper. However, the overall value of this source is likely limited as it only introduces a couple of provoking points.
Coppel, Gero and Henry Wüstemann. “The impact of urban green space on health in Berlin, Germany: Empirical findings and implications for urban planning.” Landscape and Urban Planning, vol. 167, 2017, pp. 410-418, doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2017.06.015.
This scholarly article looks at how urban green spaces in Berlin impact the self-reported health (SRH) of individuals as found through a survey. Supporting what has been found in other studies, the authors found that increasing green space/decreasing distance to it is beneficial for health and that lacking this access causes negative impacts on health. The authors point out that despite its relatively high amount of green space, Berlin’s overall level is still inadequate in most areas, causing harm to SRH of the individuals surveyed. The authors say that “Our results could provide useful information for policymakers and urban planners on how to increase SRH” (Coppel and Wüstemann 417). This article could be useful as an exhibit source because it provides empirical evidence regarding the lack of greenspaces in much of Berlin, which can be used in my essay to contrast with demands to build housing.
Kabisch, Nadja and Dagmar Haase. “Green justice or just green? Provision of urban green spaces in Berlin, Germany.” Landscape and Urban Planning, vol. 122, Feb. 2014, pp. 129-139, doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2013.11.016.
This scholarly article explores the distribution of urban green spaces within the city of Berlin and whether these spaces are equitably accessed by all segments of the population. In their research, the authors found that while in general Berlin has large amounts of green space, it is concentrated in the outer ring of the city, leaving many people living in the dense city center with inadequate amounts of greenspace, particularly immigrant groups. To demonstrate this, the authors use a survey conducted at Tempelhofer Feld, where the elderly and immigrant populations are underrepresented, posing questions about how parks should be integrated into dense areas. Considering how on a per capita level, Berlin has enough green space, “the general provision of UGS seems to be sufficient for most of the inhabitants. However, it is not enough to only examine per capita values as evidence of distributive injustice was identified at the sub-district level” (Kabisch and Haase 136). This article could potentially be used as an argument or exhibit source, as it provides some statistical evidence that may be useful, including with the case study of Tempelhof, along with some maps that could be analyzed, which would place it in the exhibit category. It might, however, be used instead as an argument source, should the focus be on engaging with the authors’ points about the need to focus on justice when looking at urban planning and green space.
Nasr, Joseph and Holger Hansen. “UPDATE 2-Berlin’s ballooning rents to be frozen for five years.” Reuters, Reuters, 18 June 2019, www.reuters.com/article/germany-housing-rent-cap/update-1-berlins-ballooning-rents-to-be-frozen-for-five-years-idUSL8N23P3WO.
This popular source summarizes some of the efforts that Berlin and Germany are undertaking to quell the growing housing affordability crisis, including a five-year rent freeze in Berlin, a major policy given that a vast majority of Berliners rent. However, the authors point out that analysts have questioned whether this is effective policy, given the potential implications for future construction, which the authors say is ultimately needed to solve the crisis. The authors also explain that while Berlin has seen rents rapidly grow, “they are still cheap compared with London or Paris. A two-bedroom apartment in Berlin’s trendy Prenzlauer Berg neighborhood costs about 1,500 euros ($1,700) a month, about half the cost of a similar flat in London’s Primrose Hill” (Nasr and Hansen). This article might be useful as a background source, because it provides a lens into how contentious Berlin’s housing politics are and how difficult it is for the city to address these issues, though this article’s overall usage would likely be quite narrow or brief, especially as it is not very quotable.
O’Sullivan, Feargus. “Berlin’s Massive Housing Push Sparks a Debate About the City’s Future.” CityLab, Bloomberg, 27 Nov. 2018, www.citylab.com/equity/2018/11/berlin-germany-affordable-housing-construction-rents/576469/.
This article gives an overview of Berlin’s housing crisis and some of the possible ways to address it. O’Sullivan explains that many people are moving to Berlin, pushing the city’s rents and land costs up, while building has been unable to keep up. To counter this, the city wishes to construct vast amounts of new housing, including affordable housing through government-subsidized construction. Yet Berlin has run into the issue of where to build, with options including greenspace and unused areas, “But deciding which space to prioritize for development has turned the city’s greenfield and brownfield sites into battlegrounds on which the future shape of the city will be thrashed out” (O’Sullivan). This article could be useful as an exhibit source, as it provides a motivating issue with the shortage of housing units as well as providing several important statistics on housing in Berlin, like on rent price and affordable housing.
Schönball, Ralf. “Bauen für die Ärmsten [Building for the Poorest].” Der Tagesspiegel, Der Tagesspiegel, 3 Jan. 2019, www.tagesspiegel.de/berlin/wohnungsnot-in-berlin-bauen-fuer-die-aermsten/24051386.html.
This popular source from a local newspaper argues for new construction on open space in order to alleviate Berlin’s housing crisis. Schönball calls for leaders to have courage to push for new building, as he claims other measures like rent control are easy to circumvent for landlords and do nothing to solve the actual problem. However, he resists building on Tempelhof, since that was already rejected by voters and there are other available sites. A concluding point is made that “The fight against the housing crisis is only won with new construction, also and particularly for the weakest” (Schönball, translation mine). This article could be used as an argument source, as Schönball makes a clear proposal of how he thinks Berlin’s problems should be addressed, meaning that I could use his arguments to either support or contrast with my argument.
Van der Meer, Elke, et al. “Chapter 11: Human Perception of Urban Environment and Consequences for its Design.” Perspectives in Urban Ecology, edited by Wilfried Endlicher, et al., Springer, 2011, pp. 305-331.
This book chapter looks at a variety of different urban planning decisions that have impacts on life satisfaction in Berlin and uses this information to argue regarding how urban environments should be crafted. Issues raised include crowding and the impact of building height and several studies done on satisfaction related to greenspace, finding that the citizens of Berlin are equally approving of natural greenspace and brownfield sites converted into greenspace. The authors also looked at the best ways to plan these spaces and urban forests. Summarizing their findings, the authors claim that “well-founded changes in the urban design or in current city planning like, for example, keeping wide streets and the inner city’s restriction of the building height… and structured urban wasteland areas… can lead to increased quality of life” (van der Meer et al. 327). This chapter could potentially be useful either as an exhibit or argument source, as it provides statistics that can be used to make arguments about certain possible solutions to housing problems in Berlin, while also providing clear arguments that can be interlaced with my argument to refute or for support.
Wetzstein, Steffen. “Comparative housing, urban crisis and political economy: an ethnographically based ‘long view’ from Auckland, Singapore and Berlin.” Housing Studies, vol. 32, 2019, DOI: 10.1080/02673037.2018.1487038.
This scholarly source details what the author contends are a new form of housing crises occurring in the aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis. To explore this issue, Wetzstein looks at three different cities, including Berlin, and examines how they have come to their current situations regarding their housing. With Berlin, Wetzstein discusses the implications of the sale of public housing stock and how it plays a role in real estate speculation. Considering all the problems facing Berlin, Wetzstein argues that “As an historical outlier and latecomer at the global stage of attractive, international cities, the future of housing in Berlin and its impact seem hard to predict” (288). This article could either be used as a background or exhibit source. For background, it could provide an overview of what has led to Berlin’s current circumstances without necessarily being analyzed, while as an exhibit, it can be analyzed to make arguments for how Berlin could address housing problems outside of land development, though its overall usefulness in this paper is likely limited as it does not heavily address construction.