Haus der Kulturen der Welt

Situated in the fairly anonymous governmental zone north of Tiergarten, the HKW building has a bizarre slanting roof, which has earned it the nickname Schwangere Auster (pregnant oyster). It was built as a gift from the USA as part of the ambitious Interbau exhibition of modernist architecture across West Berlin, which featured contributions by the likes of Le Corbusier and Oscar Niemeyer. Inside, the programme of concerts, exhibitions and symposia stems from a central curatorial theme that explores global cultural questions. A wonderful venue for world music, counting performances from artists like Rai superstar Khaled and desert blues musicians Amadou & Mariam.