Welcome to the Studio Building

A Kesselhaus is, quite simply, a boiler house — but the word carries a lot of industrial history with it. Built in 1973, the studio building originally functioned as the Kesselhaus for the Monopol Factory for Branntwein, supplying heat and energy for industrial production.

The industrial complex at Provinzstraße 40–44 goes back to 1899, when it was built as a major spirit production site for the Ostdeutsche Spritfabrik GmbH — essentially one of Berlin’s big distilled-spirits factories around the turn of the century. Later the site became associated with the Bundesmonopolverwaltung für Branntwein — the Federal Monopoly Administration for Branntwein (distilled spirits).

During this period the complex continued its industrial role, and new production and auxiliary buildings were added in the early and mid-20th century. So rather than being built all at once, this place grew over decades — from turn-of-the-century industrial architecture to post-war expansions and repurposing of specific technical blocks like boiler houses and storage halls.

After decades of traditional industrial use, the site fell into partial vacancy until 2005. Over the past two decades, it has undergone an organic process of cultural reuse. BG Glassworks moved in in 2012, and since then a mix of ateliers, events, installations, performances, and creative projects has taken root.

Today, Monopol of the People and Bard College Berlin are among our neighbors. Together, artists, cultural producers, workshops, and community-driven initiatives — from craft to food to technology — continue to animate the site, all while preserving its industrial backbone.