The masts along Karl-Marx-Allee in front of the Haus der Statistik date back to the GDR era and were originally part of a system of representative lighting and flag display. As elements of the socialist urban space, they were intended to mark ideological presence – for example, through the hoisting of state or festive flags – and to emphasise the monumental character of the avenue. Today, they stand largely without function, as relics of a bygone order, and are increasingly reinterpreted in contemporary designs as sculptural elements or carriers of new meanings – such as participatory signals, temporary installations, or ecological infrastructures.
