Portfolio [Energy of Space incubator] Project 2 Re-appropriating modernist housing MAUD SIWEI SHI
Short-term action for long-term change
PREFACE This portfolio presents how we used a set of models to develop long-term spatial strategies and tactics of re-appropriating modernist housing as a methodology to explore a sustainable way of confronting contemporary live-style contextualised in Berlin. Meanwhile, reflecting what are knowledge and experience I have learnt via this process. Modernist as a term, I thought, is a production of special period as well as a heritage existing contemporary life. After field trip, we attempt to rethink the nature of urban design and consider dynamic process as an urban design pathway. There are three question I attempt to think through this project: if there is an opposite relation between modernist housing and contemporary life-style; if the form of modernist housing could meet people’ need; actually are we designed for who? Berlin as modernist experimental field has a specific complex context that has experienced transforming into post-war city. After WW2, modernist housing as a strategy aimed to impact fresh life to modern city. Nowadays, the increasing disadvantage of modernist housing came out and increasing people vacated. However, it is worth doubting that demolishing modernist housing is not the only way. Hence, our group long term aim is to create a resilient neighbourhood corporate with local-institution to keep existing social network and vitalize local economy and social life. The concept of energy of space incubator proposes a vibrant place that could absorb energy and transfer it by changing media from city reasonably. We mainly focus on low income residents and our strategy is temporary intervention and reformation of leftover space and social activities.
Urban scale model & Section model
CONTENT
1
[Overview] -- Reflecting the whole process
2
[Context & Analysis] -- Contextualising the city and site
3
[Position] -- Group’s approach
4
[Spatial Design Strategy] -- Group strategy, principles and models
5
[Reflection] -- Critical reflecting
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Methodology
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ap In ping te S u r v ie r w P h v ey ot ing P a ogr rti ap c h c o ipa ing m tin m g un ic Si at tu in at g in g Ph ot og ra ph in g
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Overview
Design a set of exploration tools Site investigating
Background & Context
Field Trip Contextualising Berlin Mehringplatz
Articulating group’s idea
Tutorial
Urban form perceiving Typological studies
City walking Perceiving
A long-term proposition
Housing typology visiting
Focus on two specific stakeholders groups Find focus point Define urban scale and neighbourhood scale
Design for who? Mapping Making Model
Precedent study Developing group’s representation
Proposition Model I Strengthern the concept
Evaluation
Final Reflection
Increasing tangible interventions Detail model should more consider how to improve unused/ disused space
Urban model Version I
Tutorial
Section model Version I
Urban model Version II Mapping
Urban model Version III
Proposition Model II
Section model Version III
Review
Feedback
Presentation & Exhibition The representation of urban model more abstract Should strengthern the connection between urban model and section Detail model need to increase scene Lack of example about how to develop local economy
Detail model Version I
Detail model Version II
Proposition Model III
Section model Version II
Tutorial
Modernist housing VS Contemporary life
Context & Analysis [location background]
Berlin
Germany
Mehringplatz
The site of project 2 is located in Berlin, which is the capital of Germany with a complex history. It is a city that experienced twice World War and the separation of Germany into two states under the control and influence of two opposing blocks which brought the prodcution of Berlin Wall. Additionally, Berlin was the modernist architecture experimental field and avant-garde cultural production. The Mehringplatz is a round plaza at the southern tip of the Friedrichstadt neighbourhood in Kreuzberg, Berlin. It is a representative that embodies the changing history of Berlin and transformation of the city’s urban fabric. After its refurbished, the 5-storey modernist housing replaced the original urban fabric and keep the baroque urban fabric.
[Situating City] Trough analyzing the typical urban fabric, it means to identify Mehringplatz characteristic.
ALEXANDERPLATZ
CHECKPOINT CHARLIE
POTSAMDERPLATZ
MEHRINGPLATZ
KOTTBUSSER TOR
1:10000
Berlin Wall River Urban fabric Urban Block
[Flowing Space] Alexanderplatz Role: large public square and transport hub
[Consuming Space]
Since German reunification, many buildings had be regenerated while many historic buildings and infrastructures are still remained
[Inclusive Space] Kottbusser Tor Role: Residential areas with vibrant living enviroment
Potsdamerplatz Role: New center Since German reunification, Potsdamer Platz has been the site of major redevelopment projects
It contains immigrant housing, punk bars, clubs and halal eateries and it has somthing to say about multiculturalism and tolerance in Germany
Output [??? Space] Mehringplatz Role: Residential areas A round plaza( or circus) is a neighbourhood that was the southern gate of in Kreuzberg
Input
Energy Flow
ALEXANDERPLATZ
POTSAMDERPLATZ
MEHRINGPLATZ
KOTTBUSSER TOR
Context & Analysis [Position change]
City Southern Gate
City Southern Gate
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Inner-city Node
[Position change]
Transport Node
Residential area
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+ International Building Exhibitions Berlin
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[ ] 1739
1855
Belle Allianceplatz Rondell
[ ]
[ ] 1876
[ ]
1908
1965
Belle Allianceplatz Buildings were demolished by WW2
[ ] 1984
Rebuild & Keep orignial baroque urban fabric
[Situating]
It’s an important traffic node
Jewish Museum
Elder People
Library
Our Group Market
Leftover Space
Youth
Art studio
On the ground floor there are so many leftover space which disused by people who just pass by instead of stay.
Mehring platz
No people stay here just pass by
Activity We found many organizations and art studios around Mehring platz which hold several activities regularly with their neighborhood and bring them together.
Uban station
Visitor
Economy The social furnitures used frequently in summer
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Artist
There is market here on Monday and Thursday
Infrastracture
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There are so many vacant stores in Mehring Platz and most of the exiting stores are restaurants so they lack of other type of business which could meet the demand of life. Weekly market is an interesting event there which attracts many low income residents and bring commercial vitality to this area.
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Diversity
There are many kinds of group people living here who come from more than 15 different countries so it is a completely diversity community.
Unused Store Market
Infrastracture
Different Nationalities
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[Space evaluation]
By pass space
Semi-public space
Residential Semi-public space By pass space Public space
Street By pass space
Semi-public space
Office
Library
Building function
Public space
Semi-public space
Semi-public space By pass space
Semi-public space By pass space
Open space
Position Urban scale
Urban model
Energy Flow Absort Energy
Develop Local Economy
Production Flow
Neighbourhood scale
Section model
Tactical Urbanism Dynamic Process
Detial model
Urban strategy
Short-term action for long-term change
Energy Exchange
Space incubator
Social cohesion
Precedends
Develop Small Business
Local market
Spacebuster
Ecobox
Section strategy
small business
leftover space reformation
PASSAGE 56
Detail strategy
Spatial Space Strategy [Urban strategy]
Natural Resource Eg: solar, rain and wind Situation: disused in urban
Money
Situation: Key factor to shape a city
3 Exchange
Goods
Situation: consumed and supporting the city to work
Version 1
2 Design
1 Harvest
knowledge Situation: intangible goods
4 Seeding
Version 2 2 Design 1 Harvest
3 Exchange
4 Seeding
[Section strategy]
[Low-income resident] low-income residents are the key renters in the Mehringplatz. They have lived here manyyears and have a social network. Thus, we hope it is an effective way of keeping existing residents rather than breaking down existing social networking.
Maintain
Break
Insititution Turkish Artists
Deutsch
[Institution] Designing new furniture and clothes made from recycled materials, old clothes. According to its own design: Guided by some experienced masters in crafts and materials at a few price, produce at Mehringplatz 7 and prototype(social box). It could help for beautification of apartment / enrichment of family - for himself, to give away or, on a small scale of the local economy, for sale.
Circulation
Version 1
Globale e.v Recycle
Sale Resident Version 2
[Artist] As a professional group, it aims to support the global e.v to offer craft production design and training. On one hand, it can help low-income resident learn different skills. On the other hand, it is a collective activity to encourage different kinds of people to present their ideas.
Artist
Teaching
Low-income resident
Fashion design Craft
Illustration painting Final Version
[Section strategy]
Skill Training 1 Harvest
2 Design
+ 4 Seeding
3 Exchange
Product Exchange
Social Activity N
Performance
Recycle
Recycle
Foodsharing
Section1
KMA Center
Mehringplatz 7
Design Corridor
Section2
Section4
U-Bahn Entrance
Production Exchange
Market
Section3
Music Festival
Mehringplatz 7
Design Corridor
[Detail strategy] Muti-functional temporary space will improve the vitality and order in local community.It will have collection space for recycle, selling goods in Market, design space for artists and learners, musical show and performance. The flexible soace could provide to warm space for people’s activities and social meeting in winter. In summer, the institution may hold all kinds of exhibitions and shows to meet people’s needs.
LOCATION 2
3 1
4
[1] Collection Space
[2] Market
[3] Design Space
[4] Musical Show
recycle
sale
design
Criticial Reflection
Reference http://www.urbantactics.org/projets/ecobox/ http://raumlabor.net/spacebuster/ http://www.design-research-lab.org/projects/pinpoint-mehringplatz/ http://pinpoint.community-infrastructuring.org/map/#exploration/4 https://www.behance.net/gallery/16700649/Berglin-Landscape-(Mehring-Platz-Berlin-Germany) http://www.dasorakelvonberlin.de/html/index.php?id=215&lang=en http://www.lavaland.de/competitions/15berlin-mehringplatz/
Modernist housing as this project theme attract me interest when I listened the first week introduction. At present, the increasing disadvantage of modernist housing came out. Therefore, I am interested in whether the form of modernist housing could adapt to the development of contemporary life. Over the last six weeks, we chose the knowledge of energy flow and flow of space to understand Berlin in another perspective. Through analysing the context of Mehringplatz, we found that the position in the city has changed. That is to say, energy has flowed into another important city node. In the process of exploring urban model, the tough challenge is that how could we define the scale and how to present this kind of abstract notion. I have increasingly realised the importance of representation. Because I thought our final urban model are comprised by a lot of abstract elements so that it is not easier for audience to catch up our key point or understand comprehensively. In additional, due to the original aim that keeps original social networking and residents, we changed regular the mind set of urban design. We began to rethink a new approach to improve this area. When we concentrated a phenomena that this area rental price is lowest in the inner-city, we decided to choose low-income resident as our key stakeholder. In order to the drawback of gentrification, it is important to offer jobs that could allow them work here. Hence, how could we propose our strategies to involve them in and re-activate leftover space at the same time. For methodology we used, I thought the effect of making model is better than mapping. Because we could test our idea in the three dimensional space. However, I would like to argue the form of draft model. In my opinion, draft model is an effect way of improving and modifying our idea. We should consider what we want to delivery rather than what kind of material looks like impressive. For the design process, I have learnt that we should find the key point rather than cover all aspects. I have begun to think what we should concentrate in the design project. If you wish all issues could be addressed, actually you couldn’t tackle the core issue.