ABOUT US BECKMANN GERKE HEINEVETTER UG (HAFTUNGSBESCHRÄNKT) NICHEBERLIN.DE RHEINSBERGER STRASSE BERLIN

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2 ABOUT US Foto: Mary Scherpe NICHE BERLIN SHOWS YOU ART & ARCHITECTURE OFF THE BEATEN TRACK. niche Art & Architecture Tours Berlin present must-see art and architecture locations aside from the more established sites. The guided tours are geared towards art and architecture enthusiasts looking for competent insider knowledge. Rather than renowned galleries or well-known buildings, they present new discoveries, key figures and the whole context of Berlin s art and architecture scenes. The focus of the niche Art Tours Berlin is on artist-run project spaces, newer galleries with unusual programmes and other unconventional exhibition sites. The niche Architecture Tours Berlin present innovative structures and creative reuses of buildings. The niche Art & Architecture Tours combine both aspects. niche Berlin compiles each individual tour out of a broad range of exceptional venues. Private tours are matched to the interests, knowledge and expertise of the participants. Private tours accommodate up to six people, last two hours and explore up to five different venues. For companies and institutions, niche Berlin will gladly compile longer tours for larger groups, to be accompanied by multiple experienced guides. niche Academic and Corporate Tours Berlin are intended for groups of five to a hundred people, divided into groups of up to 15, each led by two guides. These tours last at least three hours and incorporate at least five stops. All tours can be booked in German, English, French, Italian or Spanish. In 2009 art historians Stefanie Gerke and Nele Heinevetter, as well as architect and architectural historian Katharina Beckmann, founded niche Berlin, because they had observed a fascinating phenomenon : conventional tour guides don t consider art spaces or innovative buildings or current trends in urban development. Those interested in art and architecture therefore end up visiting only the well-known galleries and buildings. Yet it is for these people that the new tendencies, current developments and the surrounding contexts are particularly interesting. The idea for niche Art & Architecture Tours Berlin was born and it struct a chord with both clients and the press. Today niche Berlin employs an interdisciplinary team of art and architectural historians, architects and artists. 01

3 BERLIN Wedding Prenzlauer Berg Mitte Berlin Friedrichshain Kreuzberg Every year, about 12 million visitors come to Berlin. Many of them because they want to explore the contemporary art scene and the eclectic architectural landscape. The scene is most captivatingly presented in hidden spots, around artist-run exhibition spaces and in those areas of the capital where architects were once offered the free space for unusual spatial experiments. BERLIN S ART SCENE IS UNCONVENTIONAL Since the fall of the Berlin Wall, Berlin s art market has concentrated on contemporary art. Currently there are 9,000 artists working in Berlin, making it Europe s most important place for artistic production. Among the established artists among them are represented by Berlin s 350 or so galleries, while those who remain less well known can start to make a name for themselves within the scene. They set the creative tempo, which so invigorates the Berlin art world. BERLIN S ARCHITECTURE IS EXTRAORDINARY Berlin has a unique architectural landscape. The moving history of the capital city even today defines the built environment. Berlin s vacant spaces made the city a pioneering place for visionary architecture. The creative recontextualisation of these sites had produced cost-effective solutions and novel building methods. Development is always ongoing. With the Art & Architecture Tours Berlin, niche presents the best art spaces and most intriguing building projects, exciting protagonists and iconic urban locations. 02

4 TOUR PROGRAM NOVEMBER TUE 1 INTRO TOUR 2-6 pm WED - FRI 10 TOURS 10 am pm & pm SAT 1 FIELD TRIP 11 am pm AN ALTERNATIVE INTRODUCTION TO BERLIN The role of architecture as a projection screen for ideological messages is exemplified in East and West Berlin between 1945 and In both parts of the city there arose symbolically-charged state, residential and cultural buildings. As a result of this architectural arms race, one can still recognise a doubling of building types and different centres in East and West. With stops at TEMPELHOF AIRPORT & AIRFIELD (1934) by Ernst Sagebiel, KAISER-WILHEM-GEDÄCHTNISKIRCHE (1961) by Egon Eiermann, AKADEMIE DER KÜNSTE (1960) by Werner Düttmann, NEUE NATIONALGALERIE (1968) by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, UNESCO World Heritage Site MUSEUMSINSEL with Alte Nationalgalerie (1876) by Friedrich August Stüler, Altes Museum (1830) by Karl Friedrich Schinkel and the renovation of Stüler s Neues Museum (1841) by David Chipperfield in I. SMART CONVERSIONS FOR CULTURAL PRODUCTION The Berlin art and performance scene is well known for their investigative sensibility in finding unused spaces with a strong character and atmosphere. The tour looks at refurbished cultural venues and how these buildings were fitted to meet the needs of modern production spaces. RADIALSYSTEM V (2006) by Gerhard Spangenberg The cultural center was once Berlin s largest pumping station designed for the implementation of a new wastewater management system in Since its refurbishment it s used for contemporary dance and music events. UFERSTUDIOS (2010) by Anderhalten Architekten (design) The depot for electrical tramways, built in 1913, was used by Berlin s public transport company until In 2008 Uferstudios GmbH rented the buildings for 25 years and had them converted into dance studios. PIERRE BOULEZ CONCERT HALL (2017) by Frank O. Gehry The depot of the Berlin Staatsoper Unter den Linden is currently undergoing renovations to house the Barenboim-Said Academy and the Pierre-Boulez Saal a unique concert hall, designed by Frank Gehry. II. ARCHIVING KNOWLEDGE Extraordinary public spaces with a clear design statement that are dedicated to printed and digital media can be found all over Berlin. The tour aims to explore how they provide the atmosphere for research while at the same time operating on a highly efficient functional level. 03

5 STATE LIBRARY BERLIN (1978) by Hans Scharoun The library built according to the plans by Hans Scharoun opened in 1978 and became internationally renowned for its architecturally impressive reading room landscape with a total of 810 study desks. JACOB-AND-WILHELM-GRIMM-CENTRE (2009) by Max Dudler The new building in the centre of Berlin accommodates the largest openaccess library in Germany. All 2.5 million media units can be reached from the staircase-like terraces of the central reading room in the interior. BAUHAUS ARCHIVE (1979) by Walter Gropius (design) The building complex was designed by the first Director of the Bauhaus, Walter Gropius for a site in Darmstadt. This slightly modified version was landmarked in 1997 and ranks among Berlin s architecture icons. III. EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT PISA and other international education monitoring programms have produced a lot of pilot projects to meet modern visions of educational environments. The tour presents projects that explore new spatial concepts and their impact on learning and teaching. ANNA SEEGHERS COMMON SCHOOL (2010) by AFF The school was designed for a pilot project that tries to merge college-prep secondary schools and so called Hauptschulen (whose graduates do not qualify for university) and offers an inclusive learning environment. HAVELLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (2009) augustin und frank Apart from providing more educational space, the extension of an existing school facility shields the open space for the pupils like a protective wall from the emissions of the road that runs aside it. DAYCARE GRIECHISCHE ALLEE (2006) by Behles + Jochimsen While the main building of the 1950s complex was preserved, two seamlessly attached new buildings replace the former single-storey side wings. The pupils access the garden via a ramp which also serves as playground. IV. MODERN URBAN VISIONS Hansaviertel is a showcase of modernist architecture. Severely destroyed during WWII, the area was rebuilt for the International Building Exhibition (IBA 57). The»city of tomorrow«consists of 35 projects, which comprise living units. They were realized by star modernists like Oscar Niemeyer, Arne Jacobson or Hans Schwippert. V. & VI. URBAN SPECTACLE Unusual shapes and bold statements long before Berlin discussed the concept of critical reconstruction and its effects on the urban structure, the architectural community in both parts of divided Berlin produced confident stand-out pieces to showcase their visions for their city of the future. 04

6 IN WEST BERLIN CIRCULATION TANK II (1974) by Ludwig Leo The hydraulics laboratory is a prominent landmark in Tiergarten. Instead of hiding the colossal circuit pipe system behind a facade, Ludwig Leo decided to feature it prominently in the exterior design. BIERPINSEL (1976) by Ralf Schüler and Ursulina Schüler-Witte The 46-m high icon of futuristic 1970s architecture in Steglitz has housed restaurants, pubs and a discotheque in its four levels until it was shut down for renovations. The tower is said to reopen in 2017 after its refurbishment. FEHRBELLINER PLATZ (1972) by Rainer G. Rümmler The retro-futuristic building at Fehrbelliner Subway Station in Wilmersdorf was added in the 1970s, when the original subway station from 1913 decorated in Jugendstil style was extended by a second line. IN EAST BERLIN CZECH CENTRE BERLIN (1978) by Vera and Vladimír Machonin The distinctive brutalist style building was constructed in the 1970s as Czechoslovakian Embassy in East-Berlin. The premises offer a multifunctional space which includes a gallery, two classrooms and offices. BERLIN CONGRESS CENTRE (1964) by Hermann Henselmann In the immediate neighbourhood of Alexanderplatz the congress hall is easily recognisable by its aluminium cupola. The listed building was reopened in 2003 after extensive refurbishing. KOSMOS MOVIE THEATRE (1961) by Herbert Aust and Josef Kaiser The movie theater is one of the few cinemas built during GDR - times. Nowadays a private nightclub, the cinema was landmarkes as early as 1978 for its ambitious architecture style. VII. FINDING THE GAP The use and ownership of public resources in the city is a highly debated and controversal issue of our time. Different solutions to urban problems make use of these resources with democratic intentions. We explore how urban planning can best serve the people in the city. FLUSSBAD by realities:united (ONGOING) The idea by realities:united is to filter the water of the Spree River around the Museum Island using plant material, so that the public can use it as a pool in the summer months. PARK AM GLEISDREIECK (2013) by Atelier Loidl The park was created on 25 hectares of land close to Potsdamer Platz. Opposing the generic neighbouring residential buildings, the park incorporates historic traintracks and was built with residents participation. 05

7 PRINZESSINENGÄRTEN (2009) On former wasteland at Moritzplatz in Berlin Kreuzberg, urban gardening initiative Nomadisch Grün launched the Prinzessinnengärten. After decades of disuse, the plot now produces organically grown vegetables. VIII. INDIVIDUAL SOLUTIONS In rapidly growing cities like Berlin difficult plots that are unfit for the needs of big developers often bring forth very unusual and refreshing architectural solutions that shape the face of the city. The tour explores the most innovative building projects of recent years. TOWNHOUSES B14 (2010) by XTH The interior of this townhouse located on the former Berlin Wall death strip stretches out continuously over its total height, length and width. The open space is divided only by two concrete elements hung between the firewalls. L40 (2010) by Bundschuh architects with Cosima von Bonin Collector s house L40 is situated in architect Hans Poelzig s heritageprotected urban ensemble at Rosa-Luxemburg Platz. Its monolithic, sculptural form is expressed in exposed black concrete. ZELTERSTRAßE 5 (2010) by zanderroth Architekten The two-row apartment building consists of 45 individual homes, each with single-family home characteristics although elements such as facade and garden design were planned in coordination with the group. IX. MATERIALS IN GOOD SHAPE Evergrowing building regulations and energetic standards often come with functional and aesthetical compromise within the design. More and more architects make a broad statement against these restrictions with smart re-dedication of materials or bold structures. C13 (2013) by Kaden + Lager C13 is not only the highest low-energy house in wooden frame construction in Berlin, but also received several awards for its innovative construction and the representation of the urban structures within the building. CHRISTINENSTRAßE 39 (2014) by zanderroth Architekten The 7-storey building in Christinenstrasse is a habitable monolith made of in-situ cast concrete. The modern lightweight material provides load-bearing properties as well as high-quality thermal insulation. BRUNNENSTRASSE 9 (2010) by Arno Brandlhuber This mixed-use building represents a practical way of living and defies the overregulated German construction laws. The facade consists of fixed glazing filled up with translucent polycarbonate shields. 06

8 X. SOCIAL SUSTAINABLE In times of gentrification and increasing living cost, architectural developments face the question of social responsibility. The Baugruppe (building collective) is a model that tackles this issue by involving the clients needs into different phases of the design and production of the architecture. MISCHEN POSSIBLE (2010) by BAR Architekten The structure of this mix-used development mirrors the complexity of its rich urban context. The idea of the city as a meeting place is transferred onto the organization of the building allowing the exchange of its inhabitants. SPREEFELD (2013) by carpaneto schöningh, FAT Koehl, BAR Architekten Spreefeld organises urban living differently. It s a cooperative for a new housing project with a focus on residential use, supplemented by shared option rooms and commercial spaces. R 50 (2013) by ifau und Jesko Fezer + HEIDE & VON BECKERATH The 7-storey house is the latest version of new social living in Berlin: 19 flats, with basic utilities such as washing and recreation confined to community areas. An economical construction, at only 2,000 per m2. XI. ART INTERIOS Berlin s world-renowned art scene manifests itself in a plethora of galleries, each with its own unique character. We present some of the most outstanding exhibition spaces, which perhaps not coincidentally are also very exciting architecturally. ST. AGNES (1967/2015) by Arno Brandlhuber Following the Church s abandonment, Arno Brandlhuber transformed the unique brutalist architecture designed by Werner Düttmann into a stunning exhibition space for König Gallery. BLAIN SOUTHERN (2011) by David Adjaye In 2011 David Adjaye turned the former printing facility of the Berlin newspaper Tagesspiegel into an awe-inspiring exhibition space for Harry Blain and Graham Southern. ESTHER SCHIPPER GALLERY (2017) by Annabelle Selldorf After her fusion with Johnen Gallery in 2015 the grand dame of the Berlin art scene, Esther Schipper, currently moves her gallery to a more generous space to meet the demands of her high-profile artists. 07

9 EXCURSION LE CORBUSIER HOUSE BERLIN (1957) Originally intended as part of the IBA and therefore to be located in the Hansaviertel, the apartment block was moved to the edge of Grunewald Forest due to its enormous size. The design is closely related to the Marseille unité d habitation, but it is a specifically Berlin conception. NEW CITY CASTLE /HUMBOLDTFORUM (since 2008) by Franco Stella The next decade will see the emergence of a unique, progressive centre for art, culture, science, and learning with global reach with a historicizing facade largely true to the baroque version of the original City Castle using traditional methods of craftsmanship. OLYMPIC STADIUM (1936) by Werner March The Olympic Stadium, built on the occasion of the Olympic Summer Games in 1936, holds up to spectators. In regard to form, the stadium with its clean geometric shapes is reminiscent of ancient sport facilities. It was renovated by Gerkan, Marg und Partner for the world cup PANELS»THE FUTURE OF ARCHITECTURE«introduces outstanding young architects whose offices innovate spatial practice.»performing SPACE«presents artists who work on the intersection between architecture und performance.»educational PERFORMANCES«features architects from TU Berlin and their ideas for the future of teaching architecture. I. THE FUTURE OF ARCHITECTURE NATHALIE DE VRIES is the co-founder of globally operating architecture and urban planning firm MVRDV. Current projects such as Ravel Plaza emphasize investigative spatial research in regard to social and environmental integration. SIMONA MALVEZZI is the co-founder of Berlin-based office Kuehn Malvezzi, specialized on public and exhibition spaces, such as the Flick Collection in the Hamburger Bahnhof in Berlin or the Julia Stoschek Collection in Düsseldorf. ANTJE BUCHHOLZ is a founding member of BARarchitekten, who work on the intersection of architecture and research with a focus on the development of urban prototypes informed by everyday studies, such as Spreefeld Berlin. 08

10 II. PERFORMING SPACE JEAN-PASCAL FLAVIEN researches the impact of architecture on the realm of experience by constructing unusual but usable spaces, such as the folding house (2016) at Nouveau Musée National de Monaco. MÅRTEN SPÅNGBERG employs dance as a tool to organize time and space and his pieces tour internationally. In addition, the choreographer co-initiated International Festival, an interdisciplinary practice merging architecture and performance. ISABEL LEWIS stages so-called»occasions«in institutions such as Palais de Tokyo or Kunshalle Basel that resemble social gatherings while the immersive environments recruit every sensory perception of the audience. III. EDUCATIONAL PERFORMANCE MARTINA LÖW is Professor of Sociology at the TU Berlin specializied in urban sociology, space theory and cultural sociology. As a member of several advisory boards she is currently involved in numerous urban development projects. IGNACIO BORREGO is professor at the TU since In addition to co-founding Ignacio Borrego Arquitectos in 2014 he directs CoLab Berlin a laboratory for collaborative design. It s part of a wider network which includes Phoenix and Madrid. MATTHIAS VON BALLESTREM is a guest professor at the TU Berlin since Besides his work for the Chair for Construction and Design by Prof. Regine Leibinger he runs his architecture office Studio Ballestrem. 09