Right in the middle of Berlin there is an unadorned simple building turned into a ruin by time and negligence. It´s near the Ostbahnhof in Friedrichshain and used to be the administrative headquarter (?) of the GASAG (a gasworks company, Western Europes largest gas vendor), and before that a part of the municipal gasworks, which comprised the better part of Stralauer Platz near the Spree River embankment. The close-by building of the former central repository is a listed historic monument, and houses the Energieforum Berlin. But this one most definitely is under no protection, hence the neglected look. Bums and homeless people use it as a shelter. From what the internet reveals it´s planned for demolition, new projects will arise. Luckily, the Yaam Club right behind this building towards the Spree River will be saved.

Until demolition day we can once again enjoy a ruin, a little of that morbid charme that makes Berlin so special. The way things are going, in the medium-term future none of this will be left over until Berlin becomes just another glitz façade capital, trying to find a new artificial identity.

See more pics of Berlin-Friedrichshain.