The tradition of International Building Exhibitions (IBA) in Germany, and in particular the experience of Berlin rebuilding after the war, is interesting from the point of view of the practice of public involvement and competent construction of large-scale processes of urban reconstruction. For Ukraine, this experience can be useful during the restoration of cities affected by the military actions. As an example of the application of balanced approaches to the reconstruction of residential areas, the reconstruction of the Kreuzberg district in West Berlin within the framework of the International Building Exhibition in Berlin in 1987 is described. The basic source for writing the article was the author's interview with architect Inken Baller, which took place on November 19, 2024, in Berlin, as well as a visit to the exhibition dedicated to the history of the development of the Kreuzberg district in the FriedrichshainKreuzberg Museum in Berlin. The article analyzes such main problems as: the specifics of “IBA AltBau” and “IBA NeuBau” in Berlin; change in approaches to urban planning and reconstruction of Berlin’s architecture, which was reflected in the 12 principles of careful urban renewal; involvement of residents in the processes of urban reconstruction under the auspices of “IBA Altbau”; new standards of social housing on the example of block No. 70 at Fraenkelufer Str. 26, 38, 38a-c, 44 in Berlin, authored by architects Inken and Heinrich Baller. As a result, architectural and planning approaches, as well as practices of public engagement of IBA Berlin ’87, which are relevant for the reconstruction of Ukraine, were identified, including involvement of residents of buildings in decision-making regarding reconstruction and their direct participation in the reconstruction of buildings; search for “simple” planning solutions for the rebuilding of “old” buildings that would provide modern amenities for residents without destroying the historical heritage and without excessively increasing the cost of reconstruction; designing human-centered architecture and public spaces, etc.