It's hardly even noticeable that so many artists, designers and architects live here. It isn't reflected in the cityscape or in the museums. Many of the artists, for example, exhibit around the world, just not in Berlin.

I myself have already spent a third of my life in Germany, first in Cologne and then, since 1994, in Berlin.

In the past Berlin was much more radical and extreme and now it's becoming much more of a conventional European city.

It would be wrong to say that the city of Berlin is not regulated. What I think is more interesting is to what extent a city creates a sort of safe haven for its users, so that people feel confident that the city works on their behalf.

We all live by example.

For example, many colleges in their writing programs teach some of my work.