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Berlin institution, Clärchens Ballhaus, celebrates 111 years this fall 2024. There is probably no other place in Berlin where so much dancing and partying has taken place. The Clärchens has survived two world wars and six currency reforms — “if only the walls could speak, they would tell cheerful, sad and incredible stories from the past“. Now it has reinvented itself for its anniversary with the opening of the restaurant Luna D’Oro. What’s on the plate here? German cuisine that evokes nostalgia and surprises with unexpected elegance — just as you might remember from home, only different. On the menu you will find classics that have been waiting for their big comeback, such as the Mettigel with its onion spines and caper nose, or the poisonous green “Waldmeister” jelly in vanilla sauce. Don’t miss the deep-fried Spreewald pickles with dill dip, the “Königsberger Klopse” with mashed potato, or the veal “Berlin style” with onion jus, apple and a large portion of mashed potato as well. The dishes are a true homage to traditional German cuisine, paired with modern influences that in no way detract from the original dish. Anyone who thinks food still tastes best at home may be proven wrong by Tobias Beck. After causing a stir with his Open Fire Cooking concept at Ember, he and his team at Luna D’Oro are now focusing on recipes from previous generations, prepared with regional, home-made ingredients. The Clärchens will probably always remain a place to get together and tell stories — with its unmistakable patina and the sparkling light of the disco ball, which gives the ballroom a new shine.
Text: Robyn Steffen / Photos: Luna D’Oro, Robyn Steffen
Luna D’Oro / Clärchens, Auguststr. 24/25, 10117 Berlin–Mitte; map
@luna.claerchens
@claerchens_ballhaus
I feel a strong “want to have” impulse every time I see an On Vacation piece. It’s the mixture of happy vibes and the “I’m actually still on vacation” look that attracts me so much. With their shirts, caps, hoodies and the like, On Vacation conveys exactly that: the idea that life is relaxed and enjoyable, peppered with memories of beautiful moments in faraway places. The typography is usually humorously arranged and often colorful. The fonts are somewhere between retro serifs and contemporary bubbles. The motifs oscillate between Breakfast Club, Bella-Italia and Wine Tasting — transporting us to moments when duties seem far away. And for those who want to pack their bags and follow the sun, there’s swimwear too. Speaking of water, unlike many other labels, the prints at On Vacation are made with water-based inks — one of several sustainable aspects of the makers’ approach. But the happy holiday vibes are only 50 percent of your experience when you visit the store, not far from Rosi. Makers Ulrich Hasselmann and Jonas Michalak have combined two brands in the store space. Vertere is the second fashion brand, with “Strictly Dancefloor” written in their IG bio — references to club and techno culture are style-defining here.
The two founders do not appear by name on the website, which states the brand was founded by a collective of DJs and people with close ties to club culture. The brand also regularly collaborates — drops from co-ops with labels such as Third Room or the DGTL Festival are part of the concept. The range is now quite large, you can dress from head to toe. From the red and black “Lost in Trance” scarf to the boogie tennis socks. The “Lovers and Sinners” shirts, or a piece that always works in Berlin: the bomber jacket. So, whether it’s Happy Daytime or Strictly Dancefloor, Berlin has it all.
Text: Nina Trippel / Photos: On Vacation, Rebecca Sulzer & Vertere
On Vacation / Vertere Flagship Store, Weinbergsweg 22, 10119 Berlin–Mitte; map
@on_vacation_club
@vertere_berlin
“Kaffee und Kuchen” is a sacred ritual in Germany and nowhere is it celebrated more perfectly than at Konditorei Café Buchwald in Hansaviertel. The café is a fourth-generation family-owned business. Its founder, Gustav Buchwald, was appointed court confectioner to the Prussian Court in 1842, so it’s no wonder they know what they’re doing. Located close to Bärenbrücke, near the river Spree, it’s the perfect start or end to a stroll through the Tiergarten and Hansaviertel’s modernist architecture. My recommendation: skip coffee and go straight to cake. While the café is famous for its “Baumkuchen”, they serve all the classics — think “Donauwelle”, “Frankfurter Kranz”, “Herrentorte”, “Schwarzwälderkirschtorte” or, my personal favorite, “Stachelbeere Baisertorte”. It’s so delicious that my 96-year-old relative Klaus and I sometimes find ourselves queuing before they open.
Text: Leonie Herweg / Photos: Grotto, Robyn Steffen
Leonie Herweg is a curator and founder of Grotto, an independent space for art and culture in the Hansaviertel district whose program includes exhibitions, readings, listening sessions and an annual art book fair. She lives between London and Berlin and is part of the editorial team at Zeitung Magazine.
Café Buchwald, Bartningallee 29, 10557 Berlin–Hansaviertel; map
Only one place in Berlin perfectly combines the things I love most: architecture and landscape. I’m talking about the Hansaviertel, one of the most formative architectural projects of the post-war period in Berlin’s Tiergarten. It is West Germany’s counterpart to the GDR’s housing program around Karl-Marx-Allee (1951). Hansaviertel’s new residential buildings are distinguished by their modern materials, split-level designs, flexible floor plans and generous window fronts. The core idea of the IBA’57 “City of Tomorrow” remains highly relevant in Berlin today: creating affordable social housing. More than 50 architects from 14 countries realized their designs (1,300 residential units) in 1951. The list of names includes Alvar Aalto, Arne Jacobsen, Werner Düttmann, Max Taut, Egon Eiermann, Walter Gropius and Oscar Niemeyer. Herta Hammerbacher was the only woman (and the only landscape architect) who designed Hansaplatz, the heart of the Hansaviertel. As I walk through the district, I often wonder: who lives here? Who are the faces behind all these windows? Journalist Anna Frey and photographer Caterina Rancho were driven by the same curiosity. Together, they created the vibrant architectural guide “Hansaviertel Portraits,” featuring profiles of twelve residents who opened their doors to Anna and Caterina.
The residents featured in the book couldn’t be more different from one another. What unites them is their fascination with and attachment to the neighborhood and its history. There’s Daniel, who lives in the Eternithaus and has been a resident for five years. He offers architectural tours through the area several times a month. Then there’s Lina, the friendly architect who lives in the Bakema/van den Broek high-rise and developed a sound installation about the Hansaviertel for her master’s thesis. Hannes and Peter enjoy stunning views of the Victory Column (Goldelse) through the treetops of Tiergarten from the one-and-a-half-story window fronts of Pierre Vago’s glass high-rise. They appreciate the building’s varied living concepts, reflected in its diverse floor plans. The residents, and the new architectural guide, published by Distanz Verlag in October 2024, are as varied and visionary as the district itself. This guide has become the perfect companion for my regular visits to the Hansaviertel.
Text: Milena Kalojanov / Photos: Robyn Steffen
“Hansaviertel – Portraits” by Anna Frey and Caterina Rancho. 192 pages, published by Distanz Verlag in German and English.
@hansaviertel_portraits
@distanzverlag
I tried on one of Antonina’s rings for the first time at Café Schroeder. They had been on my wish list for a long time and coming across them by chance on the Community shelf was a stroke of luck. The Lemon Buttermilk ring has adorned my hands ever since and I can no longer imagine my jewelry collection without it. The beads are hand-picked and made from natural stone or glass, and are put together by the two sisters Antonia and Janina in their Berlin home. Since October, the two have been planning Melange — a pop-up with three editions at the “Rekorder Galerie” on Chamissoplatz. Various labels will come together in different combinations. Some familiar names, such as Rayas with their hand-woven baskets and Luce with their figurative candles, as well as brands from the Netherlands, France and Austria. Soda Lingerie, for example, produces lingerie with a team of eight in a small studio in Vienna. Their MicroModal SoftBra top went straight into my shopping basket. Even though my hair is too short to tie up, I almost fell for the mint green silk scrunchie from Gousi, an upcycling brand from Bordeaux. Also on my wish list is the ochre-colored brushed mohair sweater by textile designer Paulina Gwen Meyle. For a little reinforcement, there will be hearty finger food and sweets from Marcel Fabrice. The perfect way to round off a (hopefully) successful shopping trip.
Text: Sophie Doering / Photos: Savannah van der Niet & Sophie Doering
Rekorder Galerie & Café, Chamissopl.4, 10965 Berlin–Kreuzberg; map
Melange Pop-up Space 25. & 26.10., 01. & 02.11.2024
@antonina.studio
@rayascollective
@luce.berlin
@soda.lingerie
@gousigousigousi
@paulinameyle
ANMELDUNG