Architecture secrets: the hidden beauties in the west of Berlin – districts – Berlin

The cranes will soon be turning here: Siemens is building the new corporate campus here in the west of Berlin for 600 million euros – including 3,000 apartments. It is made for a lot of money a new S-Bahn line. And a lot more is happening here: Wasserstadt, Gartenfeld Island (with the Flying Steps), TXL – endless apartments. This corner is one of Berlin’s boom regions.

Christian Fessel is someone who looks back, 55. He is the “man with the hat” and leads through Siemensstadt and Haselhorst – because the history is no less exciting. His website is therefore also called: MannMitHutTouren.de. I presented it in the Spandau newsletter from Tagesspiegel – it’s available in full here at leute.tagesspiegel.de.

Dear Mr. Fessel, where can I get hold of you at the moment? “I’m sitting in the shade under the Stößensee bridge.”

… and are you really wearing a hat now? “No. The hat is just a trademark – but a very effective one. My wife once wanted me with a hat. And since 80 percent of the content of my tours takes place during the Weimar Republic, that fits – pardon me: the – of course perfectly: At that time I would have been noticed as a man without a hat, today with. “

How many hats do you have? “I usually have a summer hat and a winter hat. Usually, because I always manage to let it blow off my head and away. My new summer hat is floating somewhere on the Spree. “

What can I call you? “Please, quite simply city guide or architecture guide. In a non-fiction book I was recently called an architecture mediator. Of course, I learned something completely different: cameraman, yes, really ‘state-approved’. Then there was fine art and architecture photography with workshops – and so at some point I left my comfort zone behind the viewfinder. “