25T29 Bowie Berlin: Hansa & Hauptstrasse

By on

E28, B23.

When David Bowie’s name is called, Berlin is rarely far behind.

Hansa-Tonstudios (Hansa Studios) is located on quiet Köthener Strasse, not far from Potsdamer Platz (U-Bahn, S-Bahn). In front, a glowing black and white picture of Bowie appears in the window. The studios are still a working facility and not open to the public; there’s an extra sign in the window to sign up for public tours.

Hansa is where Bowie recorded his Berlin trilogy of albums: “Low”, “Heroes”, and “Lodger.” Other notable artists and bands to record at Hansa include: Iggy Pop, Depeche Mode, U2, R.E.M., Herbert Grönemeyer.

Just south of U7 station Kleistpark is Hauptstrasse 155 in Schöneberg, where a memorial plaque commemorates the two years Bowie lived in this very same building from 1976 to 1978. One of his neighbours was Iggy Pop. It all seems very modest, but the decorative elements above and below the plaque make it certain we’re referring to the ultimate Spaceman.

Street entrance to Hansa Studios (and the Meistersaal).
The working studios are not open to the public; access only via guided tours.
Building entrance (left) to Hauptstraße 155, in Schöneberg, just south of U7 station Kleistpark.
Berlin memorial plaque:
In diesem Haus wohnte von 1976 bis 1978 David Bowie (8 Jan 1947 – 10 Jan 2016). In dieser Zeit entstanden die Alben “Low”, “Heroes”, and “Lodger”. Sie gingen als Berliner Trilogie in die Musikgeschichte ein. (David Bowie lived in this building from 1976 to 1978. During this time, he created the albums “Low,” “Heroes,” & “Lodger”, known as the Berlin Trilogy.

“We can be heroes, just for one day.”
Extra decorative elements above and below the plaque.

By actual turns, my big goal today was a return to C/O Berlin, where on this 2025 visit I learned about German artist Julian Rosefeldt in his exhibition “Nothing Is Original”. I’m now a little obsessed with finding and watching in full his 2015 piece “Manifesto”, featuring the great Australian Cate Blanchett in multiple roles reciting various (artists’) manifestos.

I made all images above with an iPhone15 on 5 June 2025. This post composed within Jetpack for iOS appears on Fotoeins Fotografie at fotoeins DOT com.

Please leave your comments below

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.