Monday 8, May
No colour, please: Charlottenburg hostel ordered to remove its decorated facade
He is going to be allowed to choose between two colours: grey, or beige.
Sometimes, Germany’s reputation for dour rule-following and joylessness is an unfair and misinformed prejudice. And then sometimes… they earn it. A court has ruled that the owner of the “Happy Go Lucky” hostel on Stuttgarter Platz in Charlottenburg is going to have to paint over the colourful mural which decorates the facade of the building. The artwork apparently violates memorial protection law. It’s not all bad, though: Berlin is offering the owner some choice in how he would like the building to look. He is going to be allowed to choose between two colours: grey, or beige.
🧍See also: 150-metre queue forms for apartment viewing in Charlottenburg
The ruling was passed down by the Higher Administrative Court in Berlin-Brandenburg and it followed a year-long dispute between the owner and the city’s public order office. It might not end here, however. The artwork was designed by artist Dom Browne in 2016 and it is owned by an American marketing company who have announced their intention to sue the city for removing it – that case will be pursued in US courts.
