Bikini-Haus, Cultural heritage building in Charlottenburg, Germany
The Bikini-Haus is a modern commercial and office building in Berlin with an unusual architectural form. The structure extends roughly 200 meters along Budapester Strasse and houses 64 retail spaces, multiple dining establishments, and office areas that occupy the upper floors.
Architects Paul Schwebes and Hans Schoszberger completed the Zentrum am Zoo complex in 1957 using Marshall Plan funding for post-war reconstruction. The project was part of efforts to rebuild and modernize West Berlin after 1945.
The building earned its name in the 1950s from its distinctive two-tier form, with the open middle floor visually dividing the upper and lower sections like a two-piece swimsuit. This playful naming reflects how locals and architects saw the structure's most recognizable feature.
The building connects directly to Berlin's Zoological Garden, allowing visitors to move easily between both locations. The various levels are organized in a way that makes navigation straightforward when moving between shops, dining areas, and other spaces.
A large rooftop terrace of about 7,000 square meters lets visitors look directly into the adjacent zoo exhibits and see the animals up close. The space is used for temporary retail installations and changing events throughout the year.
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