In exceptionally mild December weather, Ulf Meyer guided us through the history of Berlin’s breweries and industry. At the beginning of the 19th century, as many as fourteen breweries settled in Prenzlauer Berg—on the so-called “Barnim Edge,” a small Ice Age elevation which made it easier to construct underground cellars and large fermentation vats.

Where beer once matured in huge vats and barrels were delivered by horse-drawn carts, things are very different today. Architect David Chipperfield carefully renovated the old brick buildings of the Bötzow Brewery and added modern office buildings made of exposed concrete. In the former vaulted cellars, the water of the Jacuzzis at the John Reed fitness studio bubbles away—exactly where the fermentation vats once stood.

Not far from the Bötzow Brewery lies Pfefferberg, founded by Joseph Pfeffer, where a small craft brewery still exists today, alongside galleries, cultural venues, and restaurants. The internationally renowned artist Ólafur Elíasson has his studio here. The AEDES Architecture Forum offers space for exhibitions on all things building. A real eye-catcher is the studio building by the Pysall office, with its foldable metal façade elements. Anyone who loves architectural drawings should not miss the Tchoban Foundation – Museum. With its expressive form and unique collection, the new building attracts fans from all over the world.

A stroll around the Bötzow Brewery is like a short journey through Berlin’s industrial history, modern architecture, and today’s creative life. Here, the past remains alive and inspires new ideas.