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

Most city guides focus on mainstream attractions. Our task was to create the opposite: an insider map that feels local, handcrafted, and authentic — without algorithms or ads. We needed to design a mobile app that works entirely on user trust and content quality, not monetization.

Approach

1 — Architecture & Stack

The app was built with Flutter for cross-platform deployment and Supabase as the backend for authentication, storage, and real-time sync. Key integrations:

Google Maps API for location and navigation
Apple / Google login for quick onboarding
Local caching for offline access to saved spots
Firebase Analytics for anonymous usage tracking

2 — Content System

All listings are hand-curated — not scraped — focusing on authenticity over volume. Locations are tagged by theme (music, art, queer, food, chill) and dynamically rendered via Supabase. Each card includes directions, short cultural context, and visual accent matching its sub-scene (techno, vintage, queer, etc.).

3 — UX & Design

The UI was built entirely custom in Flutter, with dark-mode-first styling, gradient accents, and adaptive typography for readability at night. Animations are subtle and minimal — the focus stays on discovery, not decoration.