Whispers of reinvention echo within the walls of Atelierhaus Brandenburg. This building wasn’t always a haven for artists. Let’s step back in time.
In the late 1960s, this industrial building found new life as the Atelierhaus Brandenburg. But its story begins much earlier. In 1884 and 1885, Ernst Nürnberg built the first structures here. By 1896, Georg Heine ran a pig farm on this very site. Just two years later the Charlottenburger Chemische Fabrik Urban & Lemm acquired the land. They transformed the pig farm into a Kesselhaus. Gustav Weyhe designed this conversion.
Otto Lemm founded the family business in 1893. His company became a leading producer of shoe polish and metal cleaners. His brand “Urbin” made Lemm wealthy. In 1907, he commissioned the “Villa Lemm” in Gatow.
Around 1900, Weyhe designed a three-story brick building. It served as a warehouse. In 1903, Paul Schöltz designed a Kesselhaus with a 25-meter-high chimney. He also created a modern five-story factory with a short side wing. Urban & Lemm expanded again starting in 1909. They added a five-story extension.
The company relocated to Reinickendorf in the 1920s. The buildings fell into disrepair. In the mid-1990s, the Havel River was expanded. As part of Verkehrsprojektes 17, all structures were demolished except for what we see today as the Atelierhaus Brandenburg.
Now, the Atelierhaus Brandenburg stands. It is a testament to Berlin’s ever-changing landscape. Artists create within walls that once housed industry. They breathe new life into a space with a rich past. The Atelierhaus Brandenburg is more than just a building. It’s a living canvas, a place where history and creativity intertwine.