Berlin does not have a reputation for innovation in either architecture or building codes. Ever since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1990, the German capital has been hopelessly entangled in a state-powered architecture of stone and nostalgia that looked back at the 19th century rather than forward into the 21st. This is changing. In recent years, Berlin has made promising steps in terms of building codes and public funding which might help to change the construction industry.
Source: Florian Heilmeyer, Metropolis
Image Credit: Metropolis, Courtesy Simon Menges