VEB Kabelwerk Oberspree, Industrial heritage monument in Oberschöneweide, Germany
The VEB Kabelwerk Oberspree is a factory with yellow brick walls and large industrial windows that extends along the Spree River. The sprawling complex contains multiple connected buildings designed to house different stages of cable production in a single organized site.
The factory was founded in 1897 and operated continuously through different political systems until it closed in 1995 after German reunification. This long history shows how industrial production continued at the site despite the major political changes Germany experienced.
The factory embodies an era when manufacturing combined craftsmanship with industrial scale. Walking through the building today, you sense how much care went into designing spaces where skilled workers produced cables for the growing city.
Today the building houses the Berlin University of Applied Sciences and serves as a venue for events and exhibitions. Keep in mind that not all parts of the complex are open to the public, as some areas remain reserved for education and private use.
The factory was shaped by Peter Behrens, a designer who pioneered making factory buildings beautiful and functional at the same time. This approach made these buildings one of the first examples of how industrial design and architecture could work together thoughtfully.
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