The late Baroque manor house served as a home for the Berlin surgeon August Bier and his family until 1981, which he had reconstructed and created a species-rich mixed forest. The family then sold the estate and inspector house, the park and the stables to the GDR Ministry of Culture. In the 1980s, the Weißensee School of Art acquired the manor house and adjacent buildings in order to organize excursions and exercises in various subject areas for its students. With German unity there was a close cooperation with the University of the Arts. After extensive restoration and conversion of the palace, Sauen is now the meeting place for all Berlin art schools. Excursions, workshop events, readings and concerts take place here. The close cooperation between the August Bier Foundation and the art colleges and their students provides a creative basis and the opportunity to convey the foundation's goals to students and teachers and thus disseminate the foundation's ideas and work.