Man With A Hat Tours : The Waldsiedlung Zehlendorf

And what exactly is a “roof war”?

There are long-forgotten, some curious, and many unknown facts to discover.

Bruno Taut’s “Color Theory”

The Hufeisensiedlung Britz and, even more so, the Falkenberg housing estate: Both estates are seen as the path to Bruno Taut’s local, chromatic masterpiece.

The facades and architectural elements feature a varied, polychromatic color scheme. The use of color is not an end in itself, but rather the expression of an urban planning concept in harmony with nature and the landscape.

Otto Rudolf Salvisberg & Hugo Häring

Of course, the two collaborators also built with color. This was rather unusual for both of them.

And before that?

Two extremely interesting construction projects took place before part of the forest had to make way for the Waldsiedlung. Parts of them can still be admired today. On this tour.

Today:

The UNESCO World Heritage Site “Berlin Modernist Settlements” will celebrate its 15th anniversary in 2023. At the time, the Waldsiedlung was supposed to be included, but things turned out differently.

Current status: Since December 4, 2023, it has been on the national tentative list and can now be included by UNESCO as the seventh settlement with World Heritage status. Whether this happens will be revealed in the summer of 2026.

You can find detailed information about the tour HERE.

You will be guided by Christian Fessel / Mann mit Hut Tours, the long-time director of the Information Center for the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Berlin Modernist Settlements – Siemensstadt Large-Scale Housing Estate / Siemensstadt Ring Settlement”: “As always with my city tours, both historical and social aspects are covered.

Not dry, boring, and crammed with numbers, but relaxed, entertaining, and interesting for everyone.”