SESH

Ziegrastraße 11 is a legendary address in Berlin’s vibrant nightlife, once home to one of the city’s most influential and storied club venues. Located in the Neukölln district, Ziegrastraße 11 was the birthplace of Griessmuehle, a club that opened its doors in 2012 and quickly became known for its blend of underground techno, leftfield house, and boundary-pushing electronic music. Housed in a former pasta factory beside the Teltow Canal, the club was an embodiment of Berlin’s post-reunification DIY ethos: raw, industrial, and fiercely independent, with a labyrinthine layout featuring multiple dance floors, a sprawling outdoor area, and a unique mix of spaces that encouraged experimentation and artistic freedom.

Over the years, Ziegrastraße 11 built a reputation as a cultural hotspot, not only for its marathon parties—often lasting well into the next afternoon—but also for its commitment to inclusivity, underground culture, and creative community projects such as flea markets, film screenings, and artist residencies. The club received international acclaim as an essential stop on the European techno circuit, routinely praised for its forward-thinking bookings and intimate, unpretentious atmosphere. As with many countercultural spaces in Berlin, Ziegrastraße 11 faced the pressures of gentrification, and in early 2020, Griessmuehle lost its lease due to property development.

The closure was met with citywide protests, symbolic of the ongoing struggle to preserve alternative cultural sites in Berlin’s rapidly changing landscape. While the club has since relocated and continued under the same name at different sites, Ziegrastraße 11 remains etched in collective memory as a symbol of Berlin’s resilient club culture and its capacity to foster creative experimentation. Notable artists who performed at Ziegrastraße 11 during its Griessmuehle era include international names such as Ben UFO, DJ Stingray, Objekt, Helena Hauff, Blawan, DVS1, and Pearson Sound, alongside celebrated local and resident DJs including Fadi Mohem, Steffi, Freddy K, Lakuti, DJ Dustin, and members of the Through My Speakers and Warning collectives.