Escalation at the Shopping Temple
Explored March 13, 2023
The new staircase at the KaDeWe, kaleidoscoped for Sliders Sunday.
The KaDeWe (Kaufhaus des Westens = Department Store of the West) in Berlin's borough of Schöneberg is Germany's most renowned department store. With a selling space of more than 60,000 sq / 650,000 square feet, it is also Europe's second-largest department store (after Harrod's in London). Today, it attracts about 50,000 visitors every day. In 1905, merchant and businessman Adolf Jandorf commissioned architect Emil Schaudt to design a luxury department store on Tauentzienstraße at the heart of (West) Berlin. Tauentzienstraße is one of Berlin's major shopping streets and is, although, of course, a street in its own right, what one could call a direct "extension" of the famous Kudamm/Kurfürstendamm boulevard. The KaDeWe was opened on 27 March 1907. Ever since, it has seen numerous extensions, refurbishments, and owner changes. One of its major attractions is the food hall on the sixth floor.
I haven't been to the KaDeWe in ages. But recently, I stumbled upon a photo of an interesting-looking staircase/escalator here on Flickr – and to my great surprise that photo had been taken at the KaDeWe. So last week, my mom (magrit k.) and I decided to visit the store, equipped with our cameras, and have a look at the new staircase. What I can say is that this "Escheresque" staircase is very interesting indeed and that it's a great photo subject as well.
It was a short visit, however, because all we really did was photograph said staircase. The KaDeWe has changed so substantially, especially in the past 10 to 15 years, that it really isn't "our store" anymore. What I remember as an airy, generous, spacious place with a nice "vibe" to it, has turned into an almost smallish "monster store" packed with expensiveness. Maybe I'm a little unfair; I will soon revisit the KaDeWe because last week I'd only brought the little LX100 along (I wasn't sure if people with "big" cameras would be accepted there or if we'd get in trouble with security staff, but no one really cared about our photographic antics at the staircase), so I will return with my OM-1 and the wide-angle zoom. And maybe I will take some time to explore the "new KaDeWe". You will definitely see more of this staircase ("un-kaleidoscoped" photos, for instance) in the future :)
Happy Sliders Sunday, Everyone!
Escalation at the Shopping Temple
Explored March 13, 2023
The new staircase at the KaDeWe, kaleidoscoped for Sliders Sunday.
The KaDeWe (Kaufhaus des Westens = Department Store of the West) in Berlin's borough of Schöneberg is Germany's most renowned department store. With a selling space of more than 60,000 sq / 650,000 square feet, it is also Europe's second-largest department store (after Harrod's in London). Today, it attracts about 50,000 visitors every day. In 1905, merchant and businessman Adolf Jandorf commissioned architect Emil Schaudt to design a luxury department store on Tauentzienstraße at the heart of (West) Berlin. Tauentzienstraße is one of Berlin's major shopping streets and is, although, of course, a street in its own right, what one could call a direct "extension" of the famous Kudamm/Kurfürstendamm boulevard. The KaDeWe was opened on 27 March 1907. Ever since, it has seen numerous extensions, refurbishments, and owner changes. One of its major attractions is the food hall on the sixth floor.
I haven't been to the KaDeWe in ages. But recently, I stumbled upon a photo of an interesting-looking staircase/escalator here on Flickr – and to my great surprise that photo had been taken at the KaDeWe. So last week, my mom (magrit k.) and I decided to visit the store, equipped with our cameras, and have a look at the new staircase. What I can say is that this "Escheresque" staircase is very interesting indeed and that it's a great photo subject as well.
It was a short visit, however, because all we really did was photograph said staircase. The KaDeWe has changed so substantially, especially in the past 10 to 15 years, that it really isn't "our store" anymore. What I remember as an airy, generous, spacious place with a nice "vibe" to it, has turned into an almost smallish "monster store" packed with expensiveness. Maybe I'm a little unfair; I will soon revisit the KaDeWe because last week I'd only brought the little LX100 along (I wasn't sure if people with "big" cameras would be accepted there or if we'd get in trouble with security staff, but no one really cared about our photographic antics at the staircase), so I will return with my OM-1 and the wide-angle zoom. And maybe I will take some time to explore the "new KaDeWe". You will definitely see more of this staircase ("un-kaleidoscoped" photos, for instance) in the future :)
Happy Sliders Sunday, Everyone!