Talk:Large panel system building

We should get a photograph of these. David.Monniaux 20:04, 19 Feb 2005 (UTC)

Done. abelson 12:00, Jun 20, 2005 (UTC)

Merger?

Plattenbau is a term very specific to east germany and in many ways is different from the more general 'tower block.' A link suffices to make the connection. Merging these two articles would be like erasing the article for 'Germany' and instead putting everything for Germany under the article for 'Europe.' Not a good idea.

I don't see why the East German use of prefabricated concrete construction techniques warrants a separate article. It should be made a part of a larger article on prefabricated housing, however the article on Tower Blocks needs changing. It either should be renamed British Tower Blocks or should be rewritten to include other examples. Also the article only really discusses high-rise prefab housing and not low-rise. A lot of GDR Plattenbau was low-rise in central East Berlin. Not only that there were (and still are) some quite nice looking examples of what Plattenbau can be when they bothered to make an effort. I think the Plattenbau article should be merged into an improved article on prefab housing but not into the Tower Block article as it stands. Perhaps for now the Plattenbau article should be expanded.

I would strongly oppose a merger of Plattenbau into sections on Tower Blocks and/or prefabricated concrete buildings. I believe that the status of Plattenbau as a nation and culture specific concept in its own right warrants maintaining the separate listing for this term. The term has come to identify a very specific subset of prefab concrete buildings built in East Germany between 1950 and 1989 and differentiates them from the general heading of prefabricated concrete, and indeed, tower buildings generally. There could be a link to the section on Ostalgie too, as the revitalisation of Plattenbau settlements can be seen as part of the rediscovery of (and renewed nostalgia) for East German culture.

Merger: I don't see any sense in a specific article about East German precast concrete construction. It's a kind of building construction that has deep roots in modern architecture itself, thus all over the world. Actually, precast concrete construction was the favored kind of construction in most former communist countries, but this applies to all countries of the former Warsaw Pact. You'll find, for instance, large residential areas of this kind in any russian city, much bigger than, for instance, Marzahn in Berlin. There is by no means anything special about the bygone GDR about it. Gamgee 15:39, 7 April 2006 (UTC)

• Support merge - Plattenbau is just the German name for a global phenomenon. I don't think there's enough here to justify a separate article (yet). All these articles, including Panelák and similar, should be merged together. However, I don't think the UK-centric "Tower block" is the best title; not all such apartments are towers. I'd suggest "Apartment block," the closest to a universal term I can think of (not all such standardized apartments were prefabricated, so it can't be based on that term).  ProhibitOnions  ^(T) 11:42, 11 August 2006 (UTC)

• Strong oppose - It would be better to keep the distinction between construction technique and application - stongly suggest a merge with Shear wall though.--Mcginnly | Natter 14:53, 18 August 2006 (UTC)

• Oppose. I believe the subject deserves a separate article on its own merits. Regards, E Asterion ^{u talking to me?} 16:21, 18 August 2006 (UTC)

• Strong oppose regarding merger of Plattenbau and tower block. I even oppose merger of Plattenbau and Panelák. Plattenbau, Panelák etc. should be treated as extended sub sections of tower block. JanSuchy 23:25, 1 October 2006 (UTC)

• Oppose. For a native German speaker, the word 'Plattenbau' is unique.