The United Nations cultural agency UNESCO added a group of six Berlin housing developments to the world heritage roster Monday, opening a trend to cultural recognition of modern landmarks.
The decision brings Germany's total to 33 sites on the prestigious list, including three in Berlin.
UNESCO said at a meeting Monday in Quebec City, Canada, that the early 20th-century housing developments were to be recognized as a heritage site. The six complexes represent one site, which introduced a new trend of social housing construction.
The structures are recognized as having considerable influence on architecture and urban planning. The developments constructed between 1913 and 1934 were well known for using a horseshoe layout associated with architects Bruno Taut, Hans Scharoun and Walter Gropius. Their clear forms were recognized as influencing construction methods of the entire century.
The German UNESCO delegate in Quebec, Birgitta Ringbeck, told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa that the decision came easily and that the developments filled a gap in the world heritage list.