TTenty-five years ago the Wall fell in Berlin which divided two Europes, the capitalist and the communist. Today its small pieces, still colored by the graffiti artists of the GDR era, are sold as souvenirs in the Wall Museum shop (mauermuseum.de). A beautiful example of de-concreting and recycling with added value. Irony aside, after 1989 the city sometimes seemed like a boat in need of finding its way, after that painful historical anomaly that had kept it dividedwith soldiers ready to shoot. But now Berlin has found itself and is moving decisively towards environmental sustainability policies.
Berlin’s green turn
The first important sign of the green turning point dates back to fifteen years ago: the transformation of the old Tempelhof airport into an immense 300-hectare park, an infinite greenery with the city in the background. Strongly supported by the people of Berlin, who kept building speculators away by collecting signatures, today the former airport is a privileged destination for outdoor sports: jogging, roller skating, table tennis, kitesurfing on wheels, baseball and much more. From the former Control Tower you can admire a patchwork expanse of urban gardens shared by green-fingered citizens.
A life according to the Lohas philosophy (Lifestyle of health and sustainabilityhealthy and sustainable lifestyle) which is grafted onto the history of the city. «More than a third of Berlin’s territory is made up of green spaces, half of which are actual forests» says Luisa Mentz, Sustainability Manager & Project Lead at Visit Berlin. «Every Berliner has to walk a maximum of 500 meters to reach a public green space». Naturally Tempelhof, like many parts of the city, can be reached by subway (line U8), but the true status symbol has become the bicycle, a cult object with which to travel the 2,400 kilometers of cycle paths, out of a total road of 5,400 kilometres. Not surprisingly 50 percent of Berlin families use the car little or not at all, or car share.
Tempelhofer Feld, the park built on the site of the former Berlin airport.
Berlin loves farm products
The new Lohas way of interpreting life could not fail to involve food and catering: Berlin already boasts a variety of international proposals, however today the focus is on freshness and proximity of the food, coming from nearby Brandenburg farms.
A perfect example of this trend is Billy Wagner, guru of the new German cuisine. His restaurant Nobelhart & Schmutzig (nobelhartundschmutzig.com) has won a Michelin green star, an award for virtuous restaurants in the field of sustainability, but is also ranked in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants. Wagner directs the orchestra of chefs and waiters from behind the long counter which also serves as a table for guests, while in the room a pair of giant screens show forests, animals, people and farms producing vegetables, cheeses and meats. «All our ingredients end up on the plate with very simple preparations that enhance naturalness and quality, such as yellow beets with saffron and paprika from Seenland» explains Wagner. «And from this year, given the economic crisis in Germany, I have decided to lower the prices: fewer dishes on the tasting menu, but more substantial and with the same freshness». Another unmissable address for Berlin’s new green cuisine is the Frea Restaurant (frea.de), authentic vegan temple of quality and zero waste. Where these principles absolutely do not limit creativity and strong flavours, obtained by preparing everything at home, from bread to chocolate, and working only with organic and plastic-free producers. Attention to sustainable living leads to not wasting and recycling as much as possible.
The art of recycling is in fashion
Even clothing, then, has become the object of upcycling, the watchword of young designers who create slow fashion and fair fashion (sustainable fashion) garments: they make the wearer but also the animals and the environment feel good.. For example, Daniel Kroh’s ReClothings (danielkroh.com) recycles work uniforms into original (because they reveal their history) and unique, tailor-made and handmade clothing. Or DearGoods (deargoods.com), the first 100 percent vegan fashion boutique in Germany. The clothes and accessories are made with certified organic materials and produced under fair working conditions.
On the island of culture
Then there are the spectacular urban renovations. The last building returned to Berliners, just a year ago, can be reached with a walk through Museum Island on the Spree River (visitberlin.de/it/museum). As if by magic, the baroque Hohenzollern palace seems to have risen from the ashes of the American bombings. This magic is due to the Italian architect Franco Stella, who behind the faithful reconstruction of the facade hid an unprecedented building of 30 thousand square meters, with very high bright windows and essential lines. AND the Humboldt Forum (humboldtforum.org/de) dedicated to the great Berlin naturalist of the same name, today a new place of culture and aggregation: two large squares, a foyer with video installation, a green terrace from which to enjoy the Berlin skyline, and above all six permanent exhibitions (including a splendid collection of Asian art). The heart of this very modern building is ancient: a medieval Dominican monastery, which can be visited with an interesting underground route.
The East Side Gallery, more than a kilometer of the former Berlin Wall covered in murals. © visitBerlin
In the citadel of entertainment
Even in the former East Berlin the city is renewed: the Kulturbrauerei (visitberlin.de/it/kulturbrauerei) is a charming former brewery made up of 20 red brick buildings separated by large courtyards, transformed into a citadel of culture and entertainment. A multiplex cinema, clubs like the Soda where you can dance disco or salsa, the House of Poetry for readings and book presentations, the Ramba Zamba theater where people with various disabilities perform. Don’t miss the museum on “Life in the GDR”, to understand how sad German communism was… On Sundays the Kulturbrauerei hosts the street food market where currywurst, sausage with chips and curry, is popular. But be careful, points out Luisa Mentz of Visit Berlin, “the city’s goal is to become carbon neutral by 2045, and 18.2 million kilos of greenhouse gases would be saved every year if only vegan currywurst were eaten in Berlin.” Will Berlin become the vegan capital of Europe? © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Ramba Zamba, the theater in the Kulturbrauerei. Photo by Frank Hoensch/Getty Images.
Where to sleep in Berlin
Oderberger Hotel
Oderberger Str. 57.
In former East Berlin, the beautiful industrial-style renovation of what were public toilets until the 1980s. You have a rich breakfast with zero km products in the former boiler room, and you swim in a scenic setting vintage swimming pool. Double room in B&B €200. hotel-oderberger.berlin
Hotel Henri
Meinekestraße 9.
Behind the legendary Ku’damm, an elegant villa renovated in mid-19th century style, highly decorated. The interiors are pleasant, reminiscent of an ancient and welcoming house. A refined oasis of peace. Double room in B&B €111. henri-hotels.com
Where to eat in Berlin
Queue Dessert Dining
Friedelstraße 47. Half-hidden in Neukölln, a gentrifying neighborhood. An original gastronomic experience, because the courses are elaborate dishes with a prevalence of sweets (never sugar). Like the iconic Caviar Popsicle, creamy Jerusalem artichoke and vanilla cream, covered with a “praline” of Oscietra caviar. tail-berlin.com
What to buy
KDW
Grünberger Straße 20.
Designer Katja Werner produces unique pieces and small series of objects from recycled materials in her Berlin atelier, such as bicycle and motorcycle inner tubes or air mattresses. kwd.berlin/kontakt
Info
Visit Berlin (visitberlin.de) organizes guided tours on the green avant-gardes: co-housing, green fashion, bike tours.
German National Tourist Board: germany.travel
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