Bierpinsel Audio Guide

Bierpinsel: what does the audio guide cover?

1. 01

   Welcome to the Bierpinsel

   Welcome to one of Berlin’s most unmistakable and bizarre landmarks. As you stand here in the Steglitz district, specifically in the Bismarckviertel area, look up at the towering structure rising 47 meters above the busy Schloßstraße shopping district. It is officially known as the Steglitz Tower Restaurant, but to locals, it has only ever been called the Bierpinsel, or the Beer Brush. This bold piece of futuristic architecture looks like it was plucked straight from a 1970s science fiction movie. It sits perched directly above the Joachim-Tiburtius-Brücke, a bridge following the path of a highway, making it look almost like an alien control tower overseeing the city’s traffic. Take a moment to orient yourself: you are at the heart of one of Berlin's most historic retail hubs, where mid-century modernism meets the experimental energy of West Berlin's cold war era.

2. 02

   Space-Age Architecture and a Tree-Shaped Dream

   The Bierpinsel was designed by the famous architectural couple Ralf Schüler and Ursulina Schüler-Witte, the same creative minds behind Berlin's International Congress Center, or I-C-C. Construction began in 1972 and was completed in 1976. While the building looks like a metallic mushroom or a jagged polygon to us today, the architects actually intended for it to resemble a tree. They wanted to create a striking urban landmark at this complex intersection where five levels of infrastructure—including underground train lines and overhead highways—all meet in one spot. This style is often called Pop Art architecture, characterized by its non-traditional shapes and expressive, vibrant spirit that moved away from the boring, straight lines of earlier modernism. It was a massive technical feat, integrated directly into the concrete bridge structure to ensure stability.

3. 03

   Why the Name 'Beer Brush'?

   You might be wondering where such a strange name—Bierpinsel—comes from. It translates literally to Beer Brush. During the construction phase, the scaffolding surrounding the tower head reminded Berliners of a traditional shaving brush, known in German as a Rasierpinsel. When the tower officially opened on October thirteenth, 1976, the owners served free beer for the celebration, and the nickname Beer Brush was permanently cemented in the local vocabulary. For several decades, this was a booming social hub. It housed three floors featuring a restaurant, a cozy cafe, and even a disco where people danced high above the traffic. In its heyday, it was a symbol of the optimistic, capitalist spirit of West Berlin, providing panoramic views that reached all the way over to the socialist East.

4. 04

   From Classic Red to Street Art Canvas

   For most of its life, the Bierpinsel was painted a brilliant, uniform red. However, after the tower closed its doors in the early two-thousands due to financial troubles and the need for renovation, it entered a new artistic era. In 2010, a major urban art project called Turmkunst brought international street artists to Steglitz. Artists including Honet from France, Sozyone from Spain, Craig Costello from the United States, and Flying Förtress from Germany transformed the facade into a colorful mural covered in large masks and abstract figures. Although this was originally intended to be a temporary one-year project, the vibrant art remains visible today. This move breathed new life into the structure, though it also sparked debate with the original architects who preferred the classic red. Because of its immense historical value, the building was officially granted protected monument status in January 2017.

5. 05

   The Future of a Berlin Icon

   As you wrap up your walk around the base of the tower, you might notice that it currently stands silent. It has been vacant for several years, though its future is finally looking bright. A new owner purchased the landmark in recent years with plans to revitalize the space as modern offices and a renewed restaurant, potentially reopening in the future. For a practical tip: to get the absolute best photo of the tower’s unique silhouette against the sky, walk onto the Joachim-Tiburtius-Brücke bridge and look back toward the tower—you will see how it perfectly bridges the gap between the ground and the heavens. Before you leave Steglitz, take a moment to notice how the futuristic windows of the tower catch the light, and wonder what it might be like to sip a coffee again from those high panoramic decks. There is always more to discover in the hidden Brutalist corners of Berlin.