Unité d’Habitation: Le Corbusier flat in Berlin for rent on Airbnb for the ultimate design-lovers' city break

Design lovers can now stay in a significant piece of 20th century architectural history as a flat by legendary Swiss-French modern architect Charles-Édouard, commonly known as Le Corbusier, is available as a holiday let on Airbnb.

The two-bedroom apartment is in the Corbusierhaus built in 1957 next to Berlin's Olympic stadium as part of an international building exhibition run by the city government to find functional post-war housing models.

The Berlin block is the only one of Le Corbusier's five "Unités d’Habitation", so-called machines for living, built outside France.

The "vertical city" has 530 flats set along 10 corridors or "internal streets", with the brightly coloured balconies giving the building visual punch and making something of a landmark of the building, which was declared a protected monument in 1995.

However, although the plan followed the original Marseille prototype, the city government's funding didn't stretch to realising the architect's vision for the interiors.

“Corbusier’s plans for Berlin were heavily edited and he was not allowed to design any of the interiors,” says the apartment's owner, Philipp Mohr

“The Berlin building was just a concrete structure inspired by his plans but not in any ways his architecture anymore.”

Mohr bought number 258 in 2016 when it had been kitted out with the original interior that had been designed by local designers from Berlin and set out to bring Le Corbusier’s original plans to fruition.

Like the other flats in the building, this apartment is set over two split level floors and features some classic design details including a 1954 Marseille kitchen by fellow architect Charlotte Perriand.

The open plan living area also boasts original furniture and built-ins by Le Corbusier, Perriand and two more of contemporary architects of theirs with a bright set of stairs leading to the first floor.

With another contractor, Mohr rebuilt the shell of the apartment and used the same colour scheme as in the Marseille block. He even found an original Marseille kitchen at an auction.

“The apartment turned out to be a very close copy to the prototype apartment in the Marseille Unité d'Habitation," says Mohr.

"A few changes have been made due to the circumstances of the existing floor plan but generally it has many very close resemblances.”

The loft-style bedroom features a reading area, a main bathroom and a separate shower in the same style as the one in Le Corbusier's groundbreaking Villa Savoye built just outside Paris. There is a second bedroom on the lower floor.

There are also plenty of books about Le Corbusier in the flat to delve into while enjoying some relaxation time between sightseeing in the city.

“For visitors it's a great opportunity to not just learn about Corbusier but also to experience his way of life.

"Visitors on Airbnb get to cook in the original kitchen, take a bath in the original 1958 bath tub and sit in the midday sun on the balcony and enjoy picture perfect views.”

The south-facing balcony overlooks the Grunewald Forest and guests can access all the floors in the building, meaning they can enjoy the views over Berlin from the top floor.

The apartment is for rent for £51 a night. Through Airbnb.