Sometimes the testament to how good an idea is is how quickly it takes off, and House of Color has really hit the ground running. The new pop-up community space opened its doors in April with an afterparty for the Berlin half marathon, and its calendar filled up almost instantly. It has hosted all kinds of events, like running and fitness meetups, podcast recordings, film screenings, yoga workshops, live music and painting classes.
But like so many overnight successes, House of Color has actually been a long time in the making. The concept for a community space has been a dream of cofounder Ben Olayinka and his team for years. Olayinka is a key proponent of a number of vibrant Berlin projects: the impromptu dance party series, Späti Party, the POC DJ collective In Living Color and the running-meets-dancing-and-breakfast event Run-n-Rave.
Like so many overnight successes, House of Color has actually been a long time in the making.
All of these initiatives have built up communities around them and provided space for connection and involvement, yet they didn’t have a space of their own. It turned out there were lots of other unique groups crying out for a home, too, so it made sense to create a base for existing projects to flourish and where new ones can be realised. House of Color has made that a reality. As soon as you enter the loft on Gneisenaustraße in Kreuzberg, you’re greeted and welcomed as part of the community.
The floor is strewn with rugs, there are plants everywhere and the atmosphere is warm and homely. The team has managed to create an environment where sports, music and culture can thrive together, and it has already carved out a niche in Berlin’s cultural landscape. House of Color has the current space until the end of June, with the potential for an extension. Fingers crossed it keeps going, but for now we recommend you find an event in June that piques your interest and experience the space while you can.
- House of Color, Gneisenaustr. 66-67, Kreuzberg, more info on their website, follow the space on IG @hoco.world.
