An ensemble of interconnected buildings designed by Bauhaus architect Franz Ehrlich and built between 1951 and 1956 to house East Germany’s main radio broadcasting site, Funkhaus has discovered a new lease of life in the last couple of decades. Its advanced acoustic properties and nostalgic aura have drawn the likes of Apparat and Nils Frahm to record here (Frahm actually rents one of the studios and built his own piano in it), while concerts have included Depeche Mode and Aphex Twin, to name just two.
A tour of the premises reveals a plethora of fascinating historic detail: a marble lobby floor, a staircase fashioned from wood, stone and carpet to create different footsteps sounds for radio plays, and a fully restored 1970s-style café-restaurant (Milch Bar), plus great pizza at Zola. While it’s not close to the centre, it’s not difficult to get either, even by bike.
The photos below were taken during an in-house tour. If you get the chance to take one, I’d highly recommended it: it’s a truly unique space.
