Weißensee: Hansastraße

Hansastraße is a major traffic corridor in northeastern Berlin, lined with residential buildings, retail and commercial uses. The defining local feature of Hansastraße is the street corridor itself, including building fronts, crossings, everyday movement and the transition into quieter side streets. How Hansastraße is used over the course of the day depends on small changes in traffic, ground-floor use, tree cover and the width of the public realm. Hansastraße lies in the borough of Pankow, about 6.5 km northeast of central Berlin. The transitions from Hansastraße toward Orankesee and Rathaus Weißensee are gradual, marked by changes in building form, traffic and greenery. The immediate streets and open spaces give Hansastraße a recognisable local identity of its own. Together, these elements make the balance between an active address and the calmer housing behind it central to the identity of Hansastraße.