In this series, entitled Stacked, photographer Malte Brandenburg takes a closer look at the architectural merits of Berlin’s post-war housing estates. Captured against a flat blue sky, the images seek to strip away the historical and social burdens carried by the buildings, presenting them instead as pieces of pure architecture.

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Once seen as symbols of freedom and prosperity for the German middle class, providing ample space at affordable prices in a time of reconstruction after World War II, a large number of these buildings have fallen into states of neglect. Today they are viewed by many as a blight on the city’s skyline. By placing the buildings outside their usual context, Brandenburg sought to highlight the towers for the qualities that once made them desirable.

In the photographer’s words, “For me they are not ugly leftovers from past decades in a city’s skyline. I find they tell a story, which is still relevant today, namely the tension between urban development and the human element.”

Brandenburg’s full portfolio can be found here.