DOB-Hochhaus, High-rise building in Charlottenburg, Germany.
The DOB-Hochhaus, also called Huthmacher-Haus, is a 16-storey high-rise on Hardenbergplatz opposite Bahnhof Zoo in Berlin-Charlottenburg. Paul Schwebes and Hans Schoszberger designed it, and it was built in 1955–1957. Its defining feature is the band of horizontal windows running across each floor; the original exposed-concrete facade was replaced by an aluminium facade during a 1985 climate-related refurbishment.
Built between 1955 and 1957 opposite Bahnhof Zoo, the tower was designed by Paul Schwebes and Hans Schoszberger and financed with Marshall Plan reconstruction funds plus money from Swiss investor Jacques Rosenstein for Berlin's clothing industry. It was long called DOB-Hochhaus because makers of women's outerwear kept offices and showrooms there. In 2002 the Bayerische Hausbau acquired it; demolition plans were dropped after protests by heritage campaigners.
The name Huthmacher comes from the Café Huthmacher on the first floor, a popular dance venue for years. In 1983 the US chain McDonald's opened its first Berlin restaurant in those former café rooms. The earlier name DOB-Hochhaus referred to the Damen-Oberbekleidung makers who kept offices and showrooms here.
The high-rise sits within the Zentrum am Zoo complex with direct access to public transportation options and nearby shops. Visitors can view the exterior from street level and appreciate its architectural proportions from different angles around the building.
The building's original exposed-concrete facade was replaced in 1985 by an aluminium facade during a climate-related refurbishment. In 1983, the US fast-food chain McDonald's opened its first Berlin restaurant in the former Café Huthmacher on the first floor.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 92,741 contributors worldwide.