We’ve only seen a few ugly aspects of the Old East so far, but the architecture of the GDR didn’t have to be ugly or strictly utilitarian at all. There are quite a few examples of good, beautiful architecture around.
Of course, as much as it is neglected today, Karl-Marx-Allee was a prestigious boulevard and a showpiece of the Old East’s capital. This is not where the masses lived. As everywhere, some people were more equal than others.