City Block 206

Striking facade, a playful use of geometry and pattern This building is linked at the underground level with three other high-end stores along the Friedrichstrasse-Passagen. (See also City Block 207, Jean Nouvel's building for Galeries Lafayette.) These three buildings (City Block 205 by Ungers is not included on this site), as part of this reconstruction effort of the old city, also have interior courtyards and conform to the traditional height for eaves in Berlin. Pei's building is more unusual with the patterned and striated facade; it is sometimes even described as art deco. In addition, "the street facades of the block fold, buckle, turn inside out and protrude..." (Haubrich 247) which create an unusual look for the staid, elegant shopping area. From a distance the triangular tops even look like dormers.
A corner site with corner entrance Light colored limestone contrasts with horizontally spaced windows--almost syncopated ribbon windows.

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