Even in the year 2019 there are still people who haven’t realised that prolonged periods of sitting can be bad for us. But there’s no need to worry: even those with more of a sedentary lifestyle can still become great strollers of our city streets, or flâneurs as we like to call them. So I’d like to invite you to take the weight off your feet and not feel guilty about it for once. BIKINI BERLIN is to our city what the Highline is to Manhattan: the most exciting and biggest seating area for people-watchers and architecture lovers – and it also happens to be Berlin’s only concept shopping mall.
A bench is just as essential to strolling as popcorn is to cinema: it’s possible to do without it, but it’s the very least your senses deserve. After all, if you treat yourself to a little break, you’ll maximise your perception of everything around you. Of the lovingly curated products in the Super Concept Store, for example. And you can always count on Berlin to make sure that boredom never sets in. If you blink you might miss the fact that a gap has been filled or a listed building has been given a new lease of life. Can you remember our building before its modernisation? That’s right, this bench didn’t even exist back then.
If you listen carefully, you might still be able to hear the echo of 700 sewing machines where the latest ladies’ fashions were once made. But these days it’s the debut collections by young designers at Studio183 that can be discovered here. A lot has changed at BIKINI since it was constructed back in the 1950s. Polished Berlin paving stones bring the outside in and the shredded glass panels from the original façade mixed into the plaster glisten in the sunshine. To allow the effect of these unique details to really work their magic, you’re much better off sitting down and taking it all in.
People are less likely to notice that you’re running late to meet them if you arrange to meet up at a place with plenty of seating. And even more so if the meeting place offers whoever you’re meeting a reason to leave their smartphone in their pocket. Which means that the alibi message you sent at the last minute will be left unread and there’ll be no hard feelings once you do finally turn up. This is possibly why the window overlooking Berlin Zoo’s monkey rocks is such a popular meeting spot. Or maybe Berliners are just not exactly renowned for their punctuality. Whatever the case, it’s a good job that Kantini is now open until 10:00 pm, giving you plenty of time to make the most of everything it has to offer. Bon appétit!
