AOK-Gebäude, Architectural heritage monument in Berlin-Mitte, Germany.
The AOK-Gebäude is a six-story structure with steel skeleton construction and dark purple brick facades, decorated with terracotta figures on six flanking staircase pillars. The complex extends with an elongated wing along the street and two rear wings that enclose a large covered courtyard.
The structure was designed between 1930 and 1932 by architect Albert Gottheiner as headquarters for the Allgemeine Ortskrankenkasse Berlin insurance company. From 1955 to 1990, it served as the Party Academy of the Socialist Unity Party offering doctoral and postdoctoral law programs.
The building displays expressionist features with decorative terracotta figures on its pillars that reflect 1930s design sensibilities. These ornamental elements show how contemporary architecture valued both function and artistic detail in public structures.
The building can be viewed from the outside and is easy to identify by its distinctive design. The best views of the decorative terracotta figures and brick details can be seen from the street side.
The structure combines expressionist architecture with modern construction methods, using both ornamental brickwork and concrete in its design. This blend of artistic and practical elements was experimental for its era and reflects a forward-thinking building philosophy.
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