Infostation > basic touristic facilities
On two of Berlin's World Heritage housing estates, old retail shops have been converted into so-called Infostations. Both locations are owned by the Deutsche Wohnen property group, which runs the premises and rents them to the operators on favourable terms. Here, tourists, neighbours and monument enthusiasts can beef up on the history of the residential estates.
Infostation Siemensstadt
Located at the corner of Goebelstrasse and Geisslerpfad, this office is run by photographer Christian Fessel and the architectural firm Ticket B, a Berlin guided tours specialist and a partner in the Horseshoe Estate. The Siemensstadt Infostation has a small book shop, café, and 3D model of the housing estate plus public conveniences. Special exhibitions with architectural photos are held on occasion.
Opening hours and details of guided tours or events are available by telephone (030-2885252-1).
Infostation Hufeisensiedlung
Located at 44 Fritz-Reuter-Allee in the right-hand head building of the Horseshoe complex, this facility is the go-to source for anyone interested in World Heritage Sites. It is run on a voluntary basis by the association Friends and Sponsors of the Horseshoe Estate Berlin-Britz, founded in 2007 during the initial privatization of the estate. A café serves drinks and homemade cakes, plus there is a bookstore. The rooms host a permanent bilingual exhibition on the Horseshoe Estate’s past and present (created by the main author of this website). Brief details on Berlin’s other five World Heritage housing estates as well as selected planners and residents round out the offering. A special catalogue and bilingual architecture guide are available for the exhibition. A typical GEHAG Kitchen can also be viewed on site. Postcards and locally made products are sold, and cultural events are held on the premises.
Opening hours: Fridays and Sundays, April to September: 2-6 pm. October to March: 1-5 pm. See more details at hufeisensiedlung.info.
Additional services
In addition to the two Infostations above, there are other ways to explore the housing estates. For example, Falkenberg Garden City and the Schillerpark Estate have a visitor guidance system with information points plus some basic details, site maps and 3D models. Siemensstadt also has its own information boards.
In the Schillerpark Estate there is a brief panel-based exhibition in the former public conveniences next to the Plansche (wading pool). The key can be obtained from the nearby concierge service of the World Heritage Room at Oxforder Strasse 4.
The museum Taut’s Home in the Horseshoe Estate is available for rent, enabling architecture lovers to spend a few nights at the World Heritage Site. Run by two private individuals, the property is a house with garden designed entirely in the 1920s style of architect Bruno Taut. Restored in its original colours with a strict adherence to monument preservation rules, the museum doubles as a holiday home and sleeps up to four guests. The property has won several monument awards. Casual visits for sightseeing are not possible. See further details at tautshome.com.
