Exploring Berlin | UNESCO World Heritage Site: Berlin Housing Estates Gartenstadt Falkenberg / Tuschkastensiedlung

The diversity of sights here in Berlin never ceases to amaze me. I love everything from the gritty, graffitied streets in Neukölln to the sprawling, Palo Alto-esque homes we pass through every time we head out to Grunewald. In a city where bombs leftover from past conflicts can still disrupt daily life, you come to expect the unexpected. But I can say that I was at least a bit surprised to discover the Falkenberg Garden City, a most charming development out in Bohnsdorf, built between 1913 and 1916 as a cooperative building society model. Architecture is a hobby of mine (one I even studied for a time) and I immediately added this to my must-see list.

So one weekend blissfully free of rain, we made a plan to check it out. It was the first day this season where the nip in the air cut to the bone, so I put on my new favorite teddy bear-like fleece jacket, along with urban trekking friendly sneakers and my new CRU London Gordon backpack for easy picture taking and snack toting. I am all about whatever makes it easier to explore this city in a comfortable way - and this time of year, a warm one as well! Bundled and ready, we headed out to the far southeast corner of the city.

Somewhere between Schönefeld Airport and Müggelsee, you will find a few streets with these colorful, distinctive houses. Tucked into an otherwise unremarkable Berlin suburb, these homes recall a much earlier era, one in which optimism and forward-thinking were paramount. We began with the street that was the second stage of development, Gartenstadtweg, on which several different kinds of homes were arranged in long, connected rows and staggered groups. Even with its long, linear model, the community and connectedness were apparent in the repeating architectural elements. True to its name, the homes on this street were overflowing with plantlife, even in late autumn. More striking than the lush gardens and lawns, a rarity in urban living, was the vibrant, idyllic architecture. The original little nook of homes on Akazienhof is less sprawling, but no less charming, with a cozy inner stretch of Robinia tree-lined green space. It's a little like a fairytale village within what is commonly seen as a gritty, urban city.

You can see more of my photos from this great spot here.

CRU London backpack | Uniqlo fleece coat | Krochet Kids Intl hat | Ace & Tate glasses
Design House Stockholm scarf | Nike sneakers (similar)

Gartenstadt Falkenberg
Akazienhof, Am Falkenberg, Gartenstadtweg, 12524 Berlin
S Grünau


This post is in collaboration with CRU London. Concept and styling are entirely my own.