From the outside in

Friedrichstraßenpassage, a building located on Oranienburger Straβe, once housed several small businesses, but was condemned in 1908. It was then taken over and converted into a department store from 1909-1914. During the 1930's, the building was occupied by Nazi party members and in later years, due to deterioration, it was slated to be demolished.

In 1990, two months after the fall of the Berlin wall, the Künstlerinitiative Tacheles, an artist group prevented the demolition and insisted on surveys which found the building to be in good shape. It's status as an official landmark was officially recognized in 1992.

The building known as Tachelas, Yiddish for "to talk turkey", quickly became the center of an energetic, rough-edged underground scene despite the appreciable amount of disagreement among the East and West German artists due to their conflicting views and concepts for the space.

The building today houses artists studios and a large courtyard behind the building holds several sculptures erected using rubble, debris, vehicles and other objects.

Some found objects and furniture also make up a relaxing cafe atmosphere.

In the meantime, however, Tacheles has become a central part of the art, activist, exhibition and communication scenes in Berlin.[Source]

If you are proficient with the German language, more information can be found at the Kunsthaus Tacheles website. If you are not, there it is still worth looking at for the historical photos of the building and the site.