Kunst am Bau as the visual heritage of prefabricated modernist housing estates in Germany: the example of Berlin

This article explores the concept of Art and Architecture as a significant yet still under-recognised component of the visual heritage of prefabricated housing complexes in Germany, with particular emphasis on Berlin. The aim of the study is to analyse the role of art integrated with modernist architecture – both historically and in the context of contemporary challenges related to its preservation, documentation, and reinterpretation. The article explores the origins of the idea of integrating art and architecture, stemming from the modernist concepts of the Gesamtkunstwerk and the activities of circles such as the Bauhaus and the CIAM. It then traces the development of Art and Architecture policies in the contrasting realities of the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic. Particular attention is paid to the functions of art in prefabricated housing complexes – from its ideological and educational role in the GDR to its aesthetic, integrative, and participatory functions in the FRG. The analysis is based on an interdisciplinary approach, combining architectural history, urban studies, and heritage conservation theory. It is based on a comparative method and case studies of selected Berlin projects. It is demonstrated that the works of Kunst am Bau not only aestheticise the space of prefabricated housing estates but also serve as a vehicle for social memory, local identity, and the ideology of the era. The section on contemporary issues discusses the problems associated with the degradation and disappearance of neighbourhood art because of modernisation processes, emphasising the importance of systematic inventorying and integrated preservation strategies. The article also highlights the growing role of public participation and reinterpretation of heritage in revitalisation processes. The article's conclusions emphasise the need to treat Kunst am Bau as a dynamic visual heritage, requiring new research and design tools. Neighbourhood art should be viewed not as a relic of the past, but as an active resource shaping contemporary and future urban identities.