Kulturhaus Insel Berlin

Kulturhaus Insel Berlin runs out of the old bridge house on Insel der Jugend, a one hectare island in the Spree at Alt-Treptow. The small man made island sits just off shore in the Spree River and was originally made for the Berlin trade exhibition of 1896. A cultural association has operated the building as a venue since 2010. The only way to reach the island is the Abteibrücke. It arches over the whole span without a single pier in the water, just using towers on the mainland and the bridge house at the island end. Shooting the Kulturhaus from the Treptower Park bank rather than from the island, lets you use the bridge as an amazing leading line and highlight its unique arch. Look for the old Neukölln coat of arms still fixed to the bridge. On the island there's a beer garden with a peaceful river terrace, plus a boat rental doing pedal boats, canoes and paddleboards. You can take a boat out on the river to help you get the arch at eye level with the Spree in the frame. This is a unique angle not many people experiment with capturing. The island is public and free to explore with about two thirds of it being peaceful parkland. Concerts and film nights inside are ticketed. (Berlin, Germany)