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Berlin's Housing Estates
Berlin's Housing Estates
Waldsiedlung Zehlendorf 1/2:
The “Papageiensiedlung” (officially Waldsiedlung Zehlendorf) in Berlin was built in the late 1920s and initially mocked by its conservative, villa-heavy neighborhood for its bright, multi-colored walls, earning it the sarcastic nickname “Parrot Estate”. Today, it holds official UNESCO World Heritage status.
© picture alliance / epd-bild | Hans Scherhaufer
Waldsiedlung Zehlendorf 2/2:
The personal residence of the estate's architect, Bruno Taut, featuring a hair salon.
© picture alliance / epd-bild | Hans Scherhaufer
Gartenstadt Falkenberg 1/2:
Designed by Bruno Taut, the Gartenstadt Falkenberg is a pioneering garden city and a recognized UNESCO World Heritage Site ...
© picture alliance / Visually | Berlin-Zeitgeist
Gartenstadt Falkenberg 2/2:
Often called the 'Tuschkasten-Siedlung' (Paintbox Estate) for its vibrant facades, it beautifully reflects the bold and optimistic architecture of the Weimar era.
© picture alliance / Visually | Juergen Henkelmann
Schillerpark-Siedlung 1/1:
The Schillerpark-Siedlung in Berlin-Wedding, designed by pioneer architect Bruno Taut, was the first large-scale municipal housing project built during the Weimar Republic. Today a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is celebrated for its distinctive red-brick facades and open green courtyards inspired by Dutch modernism.
© picture alliance / Caro | Muhs
Hufeisensiedlung 1/2:
The Hufeisensiedlung (Horseshoe Estate) in Berlin-Britz is one of the most famous icons of modern architecture and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
© picture alliance / Bildagentur-online/Schoening
Hufeisensiedlung 2/2
© picture alliance / Schoening
Wohnstadt Carl Legien 1/2:
The Wohnstadt Carl Legien in Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg, designed by Bruno Taut and Franz Hillinger, was built as a modern contrast to the dark, overcrowded tenements of the industrial era.
© picture alliance / Visually | Juergen Henkelmann
Wohnstadt Carl Legien 2/2:
Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this colorful, highly dense estate is celebrated for its innovative, U-shaped courtyards that brought light and fresh air to working-class families.
© picture alliance / Caro | Teich
Weiße Stadt 1/2:
The iconic Brückenhaus (Bridge House) on Aroser Allee is the architectural centerpiece of the UNESCO-listed 'Weiße Stadt' (White City) in Berlin-Reinickendorf. Designed by Otto Rudolf Salvisberg, this striking, five-story residential building spans directly over the four-lane avenue like a gateway, perfectly embodying the futuristic spirit of Weimar-era modernism.
© picture alliance / Joko
Weiße Stadt 2/2
© picture alliance / Bildagentur-online/Schoening
Ringsiedlung “Siemensstadt” 1/5:
Balconies of an apartment building in the Siemensstadt housing estate, part of Berlin's Modernist Housing Estates UNESCO World Heritage Site.
© dpa-Zentralbild
Ringsiedlung “Siemensstadt” 2/5:
Building row on Mäckeritzstraße in Berlin's Siemensstadt Ring Estate, designed by architect Hans Scharoun. Completed between 1929 and 1931, the striking residential complex reflects Scharoun's innovative approach to light, open space and community living. Today, it forms part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Berlin Modernism Housing Estates, recognized for its lasting influence on 20th-century urban planning and social housing.
© picture alliance / Caro | Muhs
Ringsiedlung “Siemensstadt” 3/5:
Residential buildings by Hans Scharoun at the eastern edge (“Ostabschluss”) of the Siemensstadt Ring Estate on Goebelstraße. Scharoun's design stands out for its gently curved forms, varied building volumes and careful orientation toward sunlight and green spaces. His human-centred approach anticipated ideas that would later shape post-war housing and is one of the reasons his work continues to influence architects around the world.
© picture alliance/Bildagentur-online
Ringsiedlung “Siemensstadt” 4/5:
Residential buildings by Hugo Häring on Goebelstraße in Berlin's Siemensstadt Ring Estate. A pioneer of organic architecture, Häring believed that buildings should be shaped by the needs of their residents rather than by rigid geometric forms. His thoughtfully arranged apartments, generous windows and strong connection to green spaces reflect this people-centred philosophy, which continues to inspire architects and urban planners today.
© picture alliance / Joko
Ringsiedlung “Siemensstadt” 5/5:
The listed residential complex “Langer Jammer” in Berlin's Siemensstadt Ring Estate, designed by architect Otto Bartning. Built as part of the ambitious housing programme of the Weimar Republic, the long, continuous row of apartments reflects the era’s search for affordable, healthy and modern housing for a growing urban population. Its distinctive name, which translates roughly as “long lament,” has become a beloved local nickname for this remarkable example of 1920s residential architecture.
© picture alliance/dpa | Monika Skolimowska