Haus der Metallarbeiter

In 1928 the German Metal Workers’ Union decided to move its headquarters to Berlin. Erich Mendelsohn and Rudolf Reichel were awarded the commission, but the finished structure clearly bears Mendelsohn’s signature. The project was linked to the new routing of Lindenstraße, for which Mendelsohn designed buildings on both sides of the street – an urban concept that, however, was never realized. The most striking feature of the edifice is the significantly taller, concavely curved travertineclad main corner building, to which five-story office tracts with plaster façades are connected on both sides. Rebuilt after being damaged in the war, the building was thoroughly restored in 1995. It is still owned by IG Metall and is used, among other things, as the main office of the Chamber of Architects of Berlin.