The RAW site is rough around the edges, ramshackle Berlin
cool and epitomises the youth culture of the city today. This grungy hodgepodge
of old warehouses, factories and outhouses at the end of Revaler Straβe was a
former rail repair works, repurposed by non-profit organisation RAW-tempel eV
in 1998. Their aim was to make a haven for the artistic community where
Friedrichshain in the former East and Kreuzberg in the former West could
cooperate to promote cultural activities. The association aided the
transformation of the area into an eclectic mix of artist workshops alongside a
number of bars, clubs and performance venues. Also to be found here is a
skate hall, climbing wall, cafes, an open-air cinema and a weekly market.
Descend the rickety metal staircase into this haven of
creativity and freedom of expression. RAW-tempel is a frequent stop on the
Alternative Berlin tours because of the quality and quantity of street art to
be found here. By day people come to admire the art adorning many of the formerly
drab bare brick walls. Well-known street artists have created large pieces here
such as ‘Sleeping Giant’ by Alaniz which covers the entire side of a warehouse.
Art on most walls in Berlin changes extremely regularly, so you can come here
many times and never see the same piece twice. In daylight hours the area has a
relaxed vibe, a few people milling about chatting or having a quiet drink at
club/gallery Urban Spree.
After dark the whole area completely transforms into a dark
world of techno music, cheap beer and 5am kebabs – all so delightfully “Berlin”,
if that is your thing. Clubs Cassiopeia, Mikz, Suicide Circus, Astra Kulturhaus
and Badehaus Szimpla are all popular with tourists and locals alike. An evening
out here offers the Berlin clubbing experience without the exasperating exclusivity
of clubs like Watergate or Berghain. The heady mix of jostling revellers,
distant thumping techno and dimly lit passageways can be overwhelmingly disorientating,
but it is all part of the area’s identity. Snap a pic with your friends at the
Photoautomat located near Cassiopeia to complete your journey.
RAW is the beating heart of Berlin’s clubbing scene on Warschauer
Straβe and whilst you might not care to go there for a night out, its character
is inextricably woven into the fabric of the city.
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