MiniLook Berlin from Okapi on Vimeo.

When we get wrapped up in everyday life, it can be easy to take the place we live for granted. In the MiniLook Berlin video, Okapi Creative Studio takes a step back to show the beauty of daily life in the city of Berlin via a stop-motion, tilt-shift technique that makes the city appear as if in miniature. The video highlights everyday street scenes and picturesque shots of nature, while some famous buildings make appearances as well.

Save this picture! Screenshot from MiniBerlin. Image © Okapi Creative Studio

One of the locations shown is the Gendarmenmarkt, a public square surrounded by historic architectural gems. In the video we see the steps to the Konzerthaus, a concert hall designed by Karl Friedrich Shinkel between 1818 and 1821. It and the other buildings surrounding the Gendarmenmarkt were severely damaged in the Battle of Berlin in the Second World War and rebuilt beginning in 1977. While the interior was adapted to a Neoclassical style, the exterior restoration is faithful to Shinkel’s design. Also highlighted are Checkpoint Charlie, the most well-known crossing point at the Berlin Wall that became a symbol of the Cold War, and the BlackBox Cold War Museum, which features authentic exhibits from that era.

Seen in a few of the shots is the iconic Fernsehturm, the tallest structure in Germany. Berlin’s television tower was constructed in the 1960s as a symbol of Communist power and today includes a viewing tower and observation deck. Though not featured specifically in the video, another Berlin landmark, the Reichstag, can also be seen in the distance. The historic building was first opened in 1894 and then fully restored a century later, beginning in 1990. Part of that restoration, led by Norman Foster, is the large glass dome recognizable in the video, which offers a 360-degree view of surrounding Berlin. But if you can’t make a trip to Berlin anytime soon to journey to the top of the Reichstag’s dome, you can always watch from above by returning to this video.