The Judges Awards

09.1 Berlin

Laid-back, inexpensive and at the cutting edge of the creative and music scenes, Berlin is a key loci of international design. And, 20 years after the fall of the Wall, the city - with its young, adventurous population - is as hedonistic as ever. In Berlin’s north-east, the Brunnenstrasse area now houses some of the city's best new galleries, while Mitte’s nightlife draws, such as the slick Bar Tausend and the GDR-inspired Babette, in a former beauty salon, attract the party-loving crowds. The city's restaurant scene is going from strength to strength, with the Vietnamese Chi Sing and the Alpine-influenced Alpenstück both heralding a return to pared-down décors. On the architecture front, David Chipperfield's superb renovation of the Neues Museum (pictured below; see Best new public building) on Museum Island is a highlight among recent developments. The World Heritage Site will reopen to the public in October after six years of work. As for Berlin's cultural fairs and events, Fashion Week, the Art Forum, Preview Berlin and the Berlin Biennale continue to draw the world's creatives.

Bars & restaurants: Bar Tausend; Babette; Chi Sing; Alpenstück
Events: Fashion Week, Art Forum; Preview Berlin art fair; Berlin Biennale
Galleries: Emerging art scene around the Brunnenstrasse area
New architecture: David Chipperfield’s restoration of the Neues Museum

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