Just when you think Berlin’s club scene couldn’t get any more exciting—from new fetish clubs to long-established techno temples that have long since achieved worldwide fame—the capital takes it up a notch. Because that’s not all: After nearly two years, one of Berlin’s most legendary club venues is coming back to life. On Friday, October 30, 2026, the iconic Parisian club Silencio will open a temporary branch in the former Watergate venue at Oberbaumbrücke.
The club is located at Falckensteinstraße 49 in Berlin-Kreuzberg and is set to remain open for an initial period of seven months, through May 2027. What makes this reopening special is the collaboration of several internationally renowned figures from the music, film, and club scenes. The original Silencio Club in Paris was designed in 2011 by world-renowned director David Lynch, while the architectural firm Studio Karhard—which had previously been involved in the interior design of the legendary Berghain—was among those commissioned to redesign the Berlin venue. Thus, at the former Watergate location, the histories of three major institutions of international club culture converge.
To mark the 15th anniversary of Paris’s Silencio, the Berlin branch will offer a diverse program of electronic music, art, and performances. The concept calls for a different collective to take over the space each weekend and imbue it with its own creative flair. Watergate opened in 2002 right on the Spree and, over the following 22 years, became one of the most famous hotspots of Berlin’s nightlife. Electronic music enthusiasts, in particular, were regularly drawn to the club, where international DJs performed and which attracted worldwide attention for its extraordinary architecture.
Silencio’s story began in 2011 in Paris, where the club opened on Rue Montmartre in the Sentier district. About six meters underground, an extraordinary gathering place for the international art, film, music, and fashion scenes took shape, with an original design conceived by American director David Lynch. Lynch became world-famous for films such as *Mulholland Drive* and *Blue Velvet*, and he gave the Paris club its unmistakable atmosphere. The name Silencio is also closely linked to the director’s work. It refers to the 2001 film *Mulholland Drive*, in which a mysterious club named Silencio plays a central role. The connection between cinema and nightlife is still reflected today in the concept of the original Parisian club.
Unlike a traditional nightclub, Silencio sees itself as a cultural meeting place where various creative disciplines come together. In addition to event spaces, the Paris location features, among other things, a movie theater, a library, and a stage. The program ranges from film screenings and concerts to art exhibitions and exclusive events. Silencio Berlin is not intended to be just another techno club. Instead, the operators are pursuing a concept that combines electronic music with contemporary art, concerts, and performances. At the heart of this is the idea of regularly reinterpreting the club and offering a platform to various creative scenes.
