With around 1,900 residential units, the Waldsiedlung Zehlendorf is one of the best-known and largest housing estates of the 1920s in Germany. It is located at the underground station "Onkel Toms Hütte" (Uncle Tom's Hut) along the underground line of the U3, which was planned at the same time.
Image gallery
Waldsiedlung Zehlendorf, Ladenlokal Frisierkunst
Waldsiedlung Zehlendorf, Argentinische Allee
Waldsiedlung Zehlendorf, Papageiensiedlung
Because of its striking colors, the ensemble of apartment buildings and single-family terraced houses with gardens was christened "Parrot Estate" at the time of construction. The spacious, wooded complex was built in seven phases from 1926-31. In addition to Bruno Taut, the chief architect of GEHAG, the architects Hugo Häring and Otto Rudolf Salvisberg as well as the garden architect Leberecht Migge were involved.
Contrary to the expectations of many experts, the settlement integrating into the natural tree-rich surroundings was not part of the original World Heritage application. In the meantime, however, it has been reworked in large parts to make it a listed building, and in 2021 it was proposed by the state of Berlin as the seventh settlement on the UNESCO World Heritage List of "Berlin Modernist Housing Estates". In 2023 this proposals was added to the German tentative list submitted to the UNESCO.
The design, color and shape of individual components and floor plans show parallels to the somewhat older Hufeisensiedlung (Horseshoe Estate), which is about the same size and where the guide lives and has realized various projects for the mediation of monuments.
Additional information
Start: subway station "Onkel-Toms Hütte" (U3), western exit Onkel-Tom-Str. 99, 14169 Berlin
15 € / per person (red. 10 €), registration requested (minimum number of participants: 10 people, cancellation due to not reached minimum number of participants or bad weather reserved).
Accessibility
There are curbs and inclines on the tour. These can be overcome by wheelchair users with appropriate assistance.
Participating artists
Bruno Taut
Martin Wagner
Otto-Rudolf Salvisberg
Hugo Häring
