Berlin Guide App

Berlin Guide App is a mobile platform that maps the city's hidden side — from techno raves and queer bars to indie art galleries, street food markets, and afterhours Spätis. The goal was to build a smooth, privacy-friendly, and visually distinctive app that helps users explore Berlin's alternative culture through a curated, non-commercial experience.

Challenge

While most city guides focus on mainstream attractions, the Berlin Guide App should do the opposite: An insider guide, curated rather than commercial, handpicked rather than mass-produced. No automated recommendations, no data sales, no paid placements – only real places trusted within Berlin's cultural scene. The challenge was to develop an app that:

• delivers authentic content, completely manually curated
• is visually distinctive and feels like a Berlin cultural project
• strongly emphasizes privacy – without invasive tracking mechanisms
• works offline and offers fast, seamless map rendering

Approach

1 — Architecture & Stack

The app was fully developed with Flutter and runs natively on iOS & Android. Supabase serves as the backend with:

• Authentication (Apple/Google Login)
• Real-time database
• Row Level Security for maximum privacy
• File Storage for media

Further integrations: • Google Maps API – Navigation & Location • Firebase Analytics – configured with privacy-friendly settings and without direct personal identifiers • Local Offline Cache – places remain available even without internet

2 — Content System

All places are manually curated – no mass, but quality. Each entry has:

• Categories: Music, Art, Queer, Food, Chill
• Short cultural description
• Visual accents depending on subculture (Techno, Vintage, Queer, Art etc.)
• Map and navigation functions
• Community-verified hints

No bots, no scrapers – real knowledge from the Berlin scene.

3 — UX & Design

The UI was completely custom developed in Flutter:

• Dark-Mode-First – optimized for nightlife
• Soft gradients, minimal UI, lots of space for content
• Adaptive typography for good readability in the dark
• Subtle, flowing animations (no distraction from content)

The app feels like its own Berlin subculture project – raw, atmospheric, authentic.

Features

• Hidden parties & underground raves
• Techno clubs & afterhours
• Spätis that turn into bars at night
• Kinky events & open community spaces
• Independent art spaces & galleries
• Street food, flea markets & "weird" museums
• Outdoor & chill spots away from the mainstream

The app remains independent and non-commercial. No ads. No invasive tracking mechanisms. Privacy-first by design. Only real places trusted within Berlin's cultural scene.

Results

• Successful launch in App Store 2025 (Berlin + international scene users)
• Strong resonance in alternative art, queer and club culture
• High performance & low battery consumption
• Offline-capable for real urban discovery
• Smooth map rendering despite visually demanding design

Tech Stack