urbanpassion

Istanbul Urban Research Blog

2011-12-20T12:47:00.002+01:00

http://istanbul-urban-research.blogspot.com

In the course of my PhD Dissertation I prepared a blog on the topic of Urban Transformation in Istanbul in order to sort and connect to the various online resrources I found and am constantly discovering. Furthermore I will share first outcomes of the particular topic of the Dissertation, namely what kind of Civil Society Organizations emerge and are active in the face of Urban Transformation in Istanbul since the 2000s and how they organize and which repertoire of resistance they potentially employ.

Martin Schwegmann, Berlin, the 20th of December

RETHINK BERLIN - UP SIGNS POSITION PAPER

2011-10-23T23:41:00.000+02:00

The initiative STADT-NEUDENKEN (Rethink the city - of Berlin) has drafted a position paper which wants to promote a new way of dealing with public owned real estate in Berlin (Liegenschaften).

At the moment and for the last 10 years, the Liegenschaftsfond Berlin is the institution administrating and marketing the city owned real estate properties. So far the policy was to sell everything for the highest prize possible. After ten years it realzied 2.6 billion Euros in selling city owned properties. But Berlin has some 62 billon Euro depts. So it seems not realistic that the selling of the city owned real estate can contribute significantly to any substantial debt relief of the city. Under this circumstances especially it becomes obvious that a more farsighted and sustainable policy is urgently needed, which looks at use concepts for public real estates which are local and long lasting, interesting, experimental and thus can develop something which cannot be foreseen. We strongly support this position paper and want to encourage the new city government to go for a daring city policy and local approach which would possibly maintain the special character of the city better than any "Be Berlin" campaign!

Urban Passion, October 2011

2011-09-21T10:47:00.001+02:00

Filmabend Istanbul
Urbane Transformation und Widerstand

Montag, den 19.09.2011 um 19h

Multilayerladen, Adalbertstr.4
(Eintritt frei)

Movie Screening Istanbul:
Urban Transformation and Resistance
Monday, 19th of September at 7 pm
Multilayerladen, Adalbertstr. 4
(Free entry)

Siehe die Filme weiter unten!

See movies further down!

Programm:

1.„no pass to demolition“ (Beksav)

2.„nereden ciktci bu kentsel dönüsüm?“ oder

„Wo hat diese Stadterneuerung begonnen?“ (Braxon Hood)

3.„Göc“ (Migration) (IMECE)

4.„Istanbul is naked“ (Zafer Bicen)

detailiertes Programm:

1.„no pass to demolition“ (Beksav)

2.„nereden ciktci bu kentsel dönüsüm?“ oder

„Wo hat diese Stadterneuerung begonnen?“ (Braxon Hood)

3.„Göc“ (Migration) (IMECE)
4.„Istanbul is naked“ (Zafer Bicen)

İstanbul Çıplak - Istanbul Is Naked from Kara Bayrak on Vimeo.

Hintergrund/Background:

Reportage in "der Spiegel":
http://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/0,1518,787048,00.html

Stadtentwicklung in Istanbul

von Globalisierung und Segregation

Der Filmabend beschreibt die aktuelle Situation der Menschen in Istanbul, die von Abriss und Zwangsumsiedlungen aus Ihren angestammten Quartieren betroffen sind. Spätestens seit 2005 existiert in Istanbul eine neue Agenda der Stadtpolitik, die es den Bezirken und staatlichen Institutionen anhand neuer Gesetzgebungen erlaubt, ganze Viertel abzureißen und die angestammte Bevölkerung unter Androhung von Zwangsenteignung zu vertreiben. Vier Dokumentarfilme schildern exemplarisch die Realität der Betroffenen und Ihre Formen des Widerstandes.

Als aufstrebende Global City ist Istanbul Schauplatz für Entwicklungen, die viele Großstädte rund um den Globus kennzeichnen: Räumliche und soziale Segregation sind das Ergebnis neoliberaler Stadtentwicklung. Internationales Kapital verändert die Logik politischen Agenden und des Immobilienmarktes. Die Polarisierung zwischen Reich und Arm spitzt sich zu.

Im Zeichen dieser rigorosen Stadterneuerung werden ganze Stadtviertel sowohl im Stadtzentrum wie auch an der Peripherie abgerissen und für eine entstehende Mittelschicht neugebaut. Hierbei haben die angestammten Bewohner das Nachsehen. Viele werden über Kilometer hinweg an der Stadtrand verdrängt, wo Ihnen Wohnung in Neubausiedlungen am Stadtrand zum Kauf angeboten werden. Diese sind auf lange Sicht allerdings nicht bezahlbar und zerstören die sozioökononimsche Grundlage der meist marginalisierten Bevölkerungsgruppen. Nichts destotrotz sind die Projekte auch unter einem wachsendem Teil der Betroffenen populär, die Ihre neuen Wohnungen weiter verkaufen und sich einen schnellen Gewinn erhoffen. Viele leben aber langfristig gesehen in oftmals prekäreren Umständen als zuvor.

Die von offizieller Seite angeführten Gründe für diese Tabula Rase Stadterneuerung sind vielgesichtig: Der angebliche Erhalt von Kulturerbe, die Ertüchtigung der Häuser im Angesicht eines drohenden Erdbebens, der Erhalt von Grünzonen oder der Flächenvorhalt für Infrastrukturprojekte. Die staatliche Wohnungsbaubehörde - TOKI - wurde indes von der AKP mit einer nie da gewesenen Machtfülle ausgestattet. Mit immer gleichen Wohnblöcken prägt TOKI maßgeblich das Bild der Stadt und droht dieses und die Besonderheiten der Stadt zu zerstören.

Martin Schwegmann

Movie Night at Babylon Mitte

2011-09-21T10:47:00.000+02:00

Thursday, 1rst of September, 8.15 pm at Babylon Mitte Cinema

In the series "New German Movie" the event Sulukule was helt.

Movies shown:

Sulukule Roman Orchestra, Ede Müller, 2009, 8 min

The last days of Sulukule, Naomi Steuer, 2010, 42 min

Moderation: Martin Schwegmann, Urban Researcher

fltr.: Naomi Steuer, Martin Schwegmann, Ede Müller

from the local Press:

"Die letzten Tage von Sulukule
zitty-Kritik 18/2011
Neuer deutscher Film: Die letzten Tage von Sulukule und Sulukule Roman Orchestra
Sulukule war das älteste Roma-Viertel Istanbuls. Ein lukratives Gebiet für die Stadtplaner, und so begannen 2006 der Abriss und die Umsiedlung der Bewohner, um neue Luxusapartments zu
errichten. Im Babylon Mitte werden nun zwei Dokumentarfilme gezeigt, die sich mit der Zerstörung des Weltkulturerbes der Roma in Istanbul befassen. Naomi Steuer begleitet in „Die letzten Tage von Sulukule“ Roma, die in den Ruinen ausharren bis zum Schluss. Sie wollen ihre Heimat nicht verlassen, denn hier standen die Vergnügungshäuser, in denen ihre Musik gespielt wurde. Eine einst lebendige Kultur, die auch in Ede Müllers Kurzfilm „Sulukule Roman Orchestra“ beleuchtet wird. Das Orchester wurde 2006 im Zuge der Proteste gegen den Abriss gegründet, um die musikalische Tradition der Roma am Leben zu erhalten. Zwei Zeitdokumente – 2010 wurden die letzten Häuser abgerissen, in dem Jahr, in dem Istanbul Kulturhauptstadt Europas war. Neben den Regisseuren wird auch der Istanbuler Stadtforscher und Publizist Orhan Esen anwesend sein.
Su-Zien Kim"

(Anmerkung UP: Statt Orhan Esen übernahm Martin Schwegmann von Urban Passion die Moderation)

The plants are restless - The future of a market garden in Berlin

2011-09-21T10:45:00.002+02:00

Hilmar Poganatz (Journalist) and Martin Schwegmann (Architect, Urbanist) have published an article in the second issue of the magazin "THE Weekender", Magazin for insights and excursions.

The former districts market garden in Berlin-Lichtenberg runs wild since 2006. Its future is uncertain. Will its potentials for a sustainable development of the city be used or will it be sold for yet another housing development. On a visit in a contested Jungle amidst the great city.

Die ehemalige Bezirksgärtnerei von BERLIN-LICHTENBERG wildert seit 2006 vor sich hin. Ihre Zukunft ist ungewiss. Wird das potential zur nachhaltigen Entwicklung genutzt werden können, oder wird es verkauft und für noch eine Wohnunganlage genutzt? Zu Besuch in einem umkämpften Dschungel inmitten der Großstadt.

Open publication - Free publishing - More berlin

From Sulukule to Kreuzberg

2011-09-14T11:03:00.008+02:00

„Von Sulukule nach Kreuzberg: Vertreibung in Istanbul – Umstrukturierung in Berlin.Wenn die Stadtentwicklung profitgierige Wirtschaftsinteressen und Vertreibung heißt, dann…“

"From Sulukule to Kreuzberg: Eviction in Istanbul - restructuring in Berlin. If urban development means greed for profit and evivtion, than..."

Organized by Mehmet Bakir, Sinje Kätsch, Figen Izgin (Almende e.V.)

with the kind support of KOTTI, Verdi, IG Metall and sponsering of Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung.

Veranstaltungsdatum/Date

Dienstag, am 31.05.2011, um 19.00h,

Veranstaltungsort/Place

Familiengarten, Oranienstr. 34, 10999 Berlin

Die Veranstaltung „Von Sulukule nach Kreuzberg" soll die Bewegung gegen die voranschreitende Vertreibung und Umstrukturierung in den beiden Großstädten Istanbul und Berlin thematisieren und zu Wort kommen lassen.

Es werden, neben den inhaltlichen Beiträgen zur Problematiken in den beiden Städten und zum Thema; Wohnen in Würde, sowohl die sozialen Bewegungen gegen Vertreibung aus Istanbul sowie Vertreter_in der Stadtteilinitiative(n) aus Berlin u.a. ihre Arbeit vorstellen.

Wir wollen möglichst breit einladen, möglichst verschiedene, an dieser Thematik interessierte und betroffene Menschen zusammenbringen, um eine größere Vernetzung und Solidarität untereinander anzuregen.

Referenten und Referentinnen - Die Themen

· Sebastian Jung, Sprecher der Initiative „Berliner Bündnis Sozialmieter.de“ gegen Umstrukturierung wird aktuell über die Situation in Berlin und die tendenzielle Entwicklung, sowie schwerpunktmäßig über die Arbeit und das Engagement verschiedener Berliner Basisgruppen berichten.

· Dipl. Ing. Architekt Martin Schwegmann; forscht seit 2008 über den urbanen Transformationsprozess in Istanbul. Er wird einen Überblick über die Entwicklung seit 2000 und über die aktuelle Situation in Sulukule geben.

·Der in Berlin lebende Journalist Mehmet Bakir wird über die politischen Hintergründe der Stadtentwicklung in Istanbul referieren.

·Dr. Dorothee Haßkamp von Amnesty International wird die Kampagne "Wohnen in Würde" und Menschenrechte, Themengruppe wirtschaftliche, soziale und kulturelle Rechte, vorstellen und das Thema Menschenrecht in dieser Beziehung und die Arbeit dazu darstellen.

·Es wird der Kurzer Dokumentarfilm über Sulukule des Filmemachers Ede Müller, „Sulukule Roman Orchestra“ gezeigt. Er selber wird anwesend sein und kurz über den Film und als Augenzeuge berichten.

·Die Veranstaltung wird von der Vertreterin von Allmende e.V., Frau Figen IZGIN, moderiert.

·Der zweite Teil der Veranstaltung soll Raum geben für Fragen, Diskussionen und Überlegungen für eine größere Vernetzung innerhalb Berlins und einer Solidarisierung u.a. mit den Roma in Istanbul und auch in Berlin.

·Begleitet wird die Veranstaltung von einer Foto und Plakatausstellung zu Sulukule / Kreuzberg und ihren jeweiligen Basisbewegungen und ihrer Aktionen.

ZUM THEMA

Dadurch wollen wir erreichen, dass die Gruppen, die zu diesem Thema aktiv sind, wenn auch mit unterschiedlichen Hintergründen, voneinander erfahren und lernen, Gemeinsamkeiten erkennen und diese Erfahrungen in ihre weitere Arbeit einfließen lassen.

Die Roma sind derzeit als Hauptbetroffene der Vertreibung aus Sulukule in Istanbul. Das Problem ist allerdings größer und nicht nur eine Roma Frage. Vor kurzem ist es in Istanbul beschlossen und geplant worden, dass ca. 1.000.000 Häuser / Wohnungen abgerissen sollen und weiteren Glaspaläste auf die Wohnviertel, wie denen der Roma in Sulukule, zu pflanzen. Die Menschen werden in Stadtrandbezirke vertrieben, in denen sie aus dem Nichts die eigene Existenz erhalten müssen.

Berlin dagegen ist eine Mieterstadt und die Mieten steigen in vielen Stadtteilen explosionsartig: Die Beruhigungspille, Wohnen in Berlin sei im Vergleich zu München oder Hamburg viel günstiger, hilft Menschen, die ihre Wohnungen verlassen müssen, deren Zahl stetig steigt, nicht weiter. Die rapide Erhöhung der Mieten verdrängt Menschen an den Rand der Stadt. Arme, Alte, Alleinerziehende und Migrant_innen werden gezwungen ihre Kieze zu verlassen. Ihre vertrauten Lebensräume übernehmen die gut verdienenden Akademiker.

Seit Jahren steigt in Berlin die Nachfrage nach Wohnraum. In den letzten zehn Jahren ist die Anzahl der Haushalte rund um 130.000 gestiegen. Diese Entwicklung wurde seitens der Politik lange ignoriert: Das Angebot konnte mit der Nachfrage nicht mithalten: Seit Jahren stagniert der Wohnungsbau. Sozialwohnungen wurden verkauft.

Ein weiterer Grund der Mietsteigerung ist die Aufwertung der Kieze durch Sanierung der Häuser. Bestimmte Stadtteile werden so in Wert gesetzt. Hinzu kommt die Kündigung der Anschlussförderung für 28.000 Wohnungen berlinweit. Nachdem werden aus der Anschlussförderung immer mehr Miet- in Eigentumswohnungen umgewandelt. Wohnungen in Kreuzberg im Fanny-Hensel-Kiez oder in der Kochstraße bilden hier nur zwei Beispiele. Für die 44 Wohnungen im Fanny-Hensel-Kiez hat der neue Eigentümer nach dem Wegfall der Wohnungsbauförderung vor fünf Jahren die Warmmiete von 5,33 Euro auf 7,04 Euro pro Quadratmeter erhöht (32 Prozent, ganz legal).

Auch die steigende Nutzung von Wohnraum für Ferienunterkünfte treibt die Mieten hoch. Laut dem Wohnungsmarktbericht 2010 der Investitionsbank Berlin (IBB) ist von weiterem Anstieg der Mieten auszugehen. Auch hier wirken prinzipiell die gleichen Strukturen: die profitgierige Wirtschaftsinteressen.

Wenn schon die Wirtschaftsinteressen überall so wirken, so sollten es auch die Basisbewegungen in ihre Gegenstimme zur Wirkung bringen und sich mit denen in anderen Ländern verbunden fühlen.

Stadtsafari 2010

2011-09-11T00:00:00.004+02:00

participatory youth project initiated by nomadisch grün
07-11.2010

Stadtsafari 2010 was a participatory youth project within the framework of the ExWoSt scheme of the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development. The project was conceptualized and initiated by nomadisch grün (g)Gmbh - the makers of Prinzessinnengärten, an well known urban gardening project in Berlin, Kreuzberg.

The idea was to find a way of involving young grown-ups actively into the shaping of their neighborhood, their city - to show that the city is something they can involve in actively. The catalysator or tool for interaction and involvement was a mobile youth club in the shape of a self build container made in the measurements of a standard office container made out of a wooden frame structure.

In order to connect to young people in the neighborhood of Moritzplatz in Kreuzberg, Berlin, we contacted both formal and informal institutions such as schools, sport clubs, theater initiatives, a skater group, the street university and many more.

photo: m.clausen

The project team:
Bianca Schemel, Documentation
Christobal Muhr, Construction Expert
Esra Cosansu, Junior Guide
Inci Güler, Bespielung | Lieblingsort: Sander 13.
Jascha Vogel, Construction Expert
Jonathan Aikins, Junior Guide
Julia Schumann, Assistant
Julian Arons, Construction Expert
Marco Clausen, Manager nomadisch grün
Martin Schwegmann, Project Leader
Mary Njeri, Junior Guide
Okan Akogul, Junior Guide
Philipp Farmer, Construction Expert
Rob Andjelkovic, Junior Guide
Robert Shaw, Manager nomadisch grün
Rosmarie Köckenberger, Project Leader
Sasun Sayan, Junior Guide

HABITAT: festival of spatial imagination

2011-02-01T00:17:00.005+01:00

6.6.2010 - 4.7.2010

Exhibition in Antwerp, Belgium, curated by Bruno Herzeele

complizen Planungsbüro (amongst others - see below) was invited to re-invent and sportify an apartment in an to be torn down brick buildung in Antwerp

following text from www.middelheimmuseum.be :

"As of 05 June 2010 spatial imagination will have full reign in the Luchtbal district. For a month the location-specific project HABITAT will alight in the neighbourhood, consisting of exhibitions, readings, guided tours, local dishes.

intervention by complizen Planungsbüro

National and international artists will occupy eight apartments in an empty apartment block on Manchesterlaan, using the vacant spaces to create their own interpretation of the concept of ‘living’. The eight artists will be the last inhabitants of the building before the entire district is subjected to comprehensive renovations. The HABITAT project is an initiative of Middelheimproductie, the Luchtbal cultural centre and the urban regeneration team Programma’s voor Stad in Verandering and is headed by guest curator Bruno Herzeele.

Luchtbal in Antwerp, Belgium

The social housing on Manchesterlaan, in the little-known yet highly socially and architecturally varied area of Luchtbal in Antwerp, is soon to make way for brand new social housing. It is an important step that will breathe new life into the district and regenerate the quality of life of the area. Under the supervisory eye of curator Bruno Herzeele, Middelheimproductie, the Luchtbal cultural centre and the urban regeneration team Programma’s voor Stad in Verandering have turned this comprehensive regeneration into a gigantic neighbourhood party - HABITAT.

intervention by complizen Planungsbüro

The festival of spatial imagination
An empty apartment block at 31/33 Manchesterlaan is the starting point for this exceptional location-specific project. Guest curator Bruno Herzeele has invited eight national and international artists (or artists’ groups), utopian architects and radical urban planners to find the right installation in the right place. During the month of May the artists will be working/residing/living/creating their own habitats in the eight apartments.
HABITAT is a very special location-specific project. It not only requires that the artists are compelled to make the space itself the focus of their imagination, it also presents them with the extraordinary challenge of transforming an intimate and private apartment into a public gallery.

place of intervention: empty apartment block at 31/33 Manchesterlaan

The eight artists/architects groups that converted the empty building into their own playground are:

intervention by complizen Planungsbüro

Quartier für Vielflieger - Nests for the Frequent Flyers

2011-01-24T11:26:00.001+01:00

http://quartierfurvielflieger.blogspot.com/

by Secil Yaylali and Anne Deschka, from May to October 2010, in Berlin/Kreuzberg*

Quartier für Vielflieger/Nests for frequent Flyers was a participatory public art project realized in 2010 the neighborhood Kreuzberg in Berlin.We invited inhabitants of the area to show their hospitality to migratory birds by building individual bird houses.

In Turkey and its neighboring countries, bird houses enjoy a century-long tradition. These tiny but highly decorated houses were constructed on the facades of public buildings as one of the typical architectural features. Within the striving urban life they should protect birds from adverse weather conditions and hungry cats. Inhabitants of those shelters often are migratory birds, which spent each winter in warmer regions. As temporary guests people welcomed them in a friendly way - a carrying human gesture towards the free migrants of the sky.

Also around the Kreuzberg- Kottbusser Tor, people - like migratory birds - are sharing the experience of departing and arriving, and the experience of being dependent on sharing the hospitality of other human beings.

According to old tradition from Turkey, we wanted to show the hospitality to the frequent visitors of the area. We also wanted to build a link between people and some associations in the area. We structured the project in 3 phases;

1) We made -one day events- by 5 local associations to inform more participants about the 2nd phase. We had an origami, water marbling, participatory drawing workshop and a lecture about the Turkish birdhouses and an excursion in Kreuzberg to be able to see which immigrant birds live in the area. This process also created a link among local associations in the area.

2) The second phase was the core of the project. It integrated 2 different workshops. One was a birdhouse-building workshop and the other one was a sound-editing workshop. The birdhouse-building workshop was a week long workshop and we organized 3 different groups of participant where participants could build their own birdhouses according to their own designs. The sound-editing workshop was a 1 week workshop that participants learnt about sound experienced with it.

3) In the end, a symposium, a film screening and an exhibition took place. The exhibition showed the products (the birdhouses-sound pieces) and the documentation of the project. In the symposium there was a screening of documentary movies about home land and a discussion about migration and hospitality. We also presented our publication in the end of the events.

The birdhouses were placed around Kottbuser Tor, Kreuzberg.

Events: Origami & Marbling (Ebru), participatory painting Workshops, Excursion, Lecture about traditional birdhouses, Birdhouse-building Workshops, Sound-editing Workshop, Symposium & Exhibition in Kreuzberg Museum

* in collaboration with 13 artists, 2 NABU Volunteers, a social worker, an architect, a social anthropologist and around 150 active participants in Berlin Kreuzberg

Sustainable Habitats in India

2010-07-23T01:26:00.023+02:00

Summer School , April 5th to April 23rd 2010 in Mumbai, India

In the framework of his phd at the habitat unit of the technical university in Berlin Martin Schwegmann from urban passion was invited to the summer school and gained substantial insides into (informal) urban dynamics of Mumbai and a bit of India.

About the summer school:

The German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) in cooperation with the School of Habitat Studies of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) were holding a 3-week Summer School on Sustainable Habitats in India. The participants were supposed to explore the emergence and consolidation of shanty towns in Mumbai.

Based on its innovative peer-learning approach, the GTZ-DAAD-Summer School participants from all over India, Germany, China, Indonesia and Chile were working together on the concept of sustainable urban development, its approach and possible implementation in the context of slums in Mumbai. “Sustainable Habitats in India” is part of the UN-Decade ‘Education for Sustainable Development’ (ESD)-project, and inspired by “Between Lecture Hall & Project Works”, GTZ-Berlin. This Summer School in India was the sixth within this framework after Vietnam, Egypt, Brazil, Peru and India. It focussed on strengthening sustainable links between researchers, civil society, businesspeople, policy makers and development practitioners as well as strengthening the scientific and institutional exchange between the involved parties from India and Germany.

The three-week program was concentrating on the following thematic areas being researched in 4 different slums in Mumbai:

• Livelihoods, Housing and Infrastructure
• Planning and Governance
• Sustainability of Urban Habitats

In the first week, the political framework, state-of-the-art methods such as action research and peer-learning techniques were introduced. In the end of the week, team work at four different research sites were initiated.

In the second week, participants continued to carry out action research in new and old shantytowns in Mumbai and started to discuss their findings with experts from different fields and perspectives in learning-dialogues.

During the third and final week, further learning-dialogues, amongst others with leading German scientists, concluded in the presentation of the results in a public symposium on April 23rd at the auditorium of TISS.

Some leading questions to start with were:
• Who is holding the power to guarantee the elaboration and implementation of the necessary innovations to manage the most urging questions of sustainable urban development?
• Which are the pathways towards political implementation and social consensus?
• Which unknown perspectives and sustainable surviving strategies we could learn from shanty towns?
• Me personally: Are there any innovative experiences I could contribute?

In the framework of his phd at the habitat unit of the technical university in Berlin Martin Schwegmann from urban passion was invited to the summer school and gained substantial insides into (informal) urban dynamics of Mumbai and a bit of India.

During the summerschool a film team from the pubic german television ZDF followed the summer school participants in their research. The resulting reportage about water supply problematics can be seen here:

ZDF Reportage: "Kampf um den letzten Tropfen" (fight for the last drop - only in german)

still from the reportage (martin schwegmann, rangvir singh)

From Squatter to Real Estate Developer

2010-07-23T01:26:00.022+02:00

Article in Biorama, Magazine for sustainable life with style

No 11 2010, published in Austria and Germany

Interview with Fabian Tacke,
Berlin based "alternative" real estate developer

by Martin Schwegmann (Text) and Marcus Müller-Witte (Photo)

Fabian Tacke, a former "squatter" in post wall east Berlin is now developing green housing projects in Berlin in which he combines profit with ecological and social sustainability. It seems that especially in times of difficult real estate markets, the green investment could gain popularity and leave its eco-niche. Could it just be a very reasonable investment?

We asked him how he develops these projects and in how far his experiences with east Berlin post wall alternative housing projects play into his current work.

download article (german only)

Open publication - Free publishing - More oekosozial

More information under:

www.biorama.at

www.stadterneuerung.de

www.klimagut.ag

Social Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Urban Development in Berlin

2010-07-23T01:26:00.019+02:00

field trip of the Department of Urban Studies, University of Malmö, 8th -10th of may 2010

Urban Passion organized a three day field trip for about 40 scholars and practitioners from Sweden and Denmark. It consisted of three guided tours with expert tour guides, two workshops with Berlin based practitioners and researchers (The Hub Berlin; Simmel Center for Metropolitan Studies at Humboldt University). The trip was initiated and coordinated by Frederick Björn, researcher and teacher at Malmö University, Department of Urban Studies.

Subject:

Is it possible to reach urban sustainability through social innovation by the means of social entrepreneurship!?

This question was the starting point of the excursion. Because social entrepreneurship in the classical sense does not play a big role in urban development in Berlin in our opinion, we didn´t try to look for projects, places and actors which would call themselves social entrepreneurs in the first place. We rather wanted to show the group an
contested urban area, Media Spree, to start with. The idea was to look at a wide spectrum of actors, both institutional and non institutional, in order to see their relevance in the framework of sustainable urban development and social innovation. The experiences and the expectancies where cross checked and broadened to other parts of Berlin in the workshops and additional field trips later on.

Social Entrepreneurship proved to be a little applied term in Berlin. The relevance in the Scandinavian context seems to be much higher and the involvement of institutional actors within button up urban development through small cultural and socially active actors (entrepreneurs) is much bigger. Yet the drive of button up actors in urban development in Berlin is still very strong, even though and maybe even because there is not really a comprehensive scheme for sustainable urban development integrating bottom up movements.

Program:

Day 1:

- 3 City walks through the media spree area.

- Workshop with Jürgen Breiter (The Hub Berlin, Wedding

Windows) about the concept of social

entrepreneurship in Berlin

Day 2:

- Site Visit of ExRotaPrint

- Workshop at Georg Simmel Center for Metropolitan Studies

(Humboldt University Berlin):

sustainable urban development through social

entrepreneurship?*

Day 3:

- Learning from Berlin? - Group meeting and final round up

of the field trip with Martin Schwegmann

Routes of the different groups. (Guides: Carsten Joost, Anja Steglich, Yves Mikelsons-Roloff )

Workshop at meeting space of KUNSTrePUBLIK, Jürgen Breiter (THE HUB BERLIN)

Workshop at Simmel Center for Metropolitan Studies.
Prof. Harald Mieg (welcoming the groups participants)

Workshop participants/function:
Prof. Harald Mieg, Spokesman of Simmel Center (introduction); Heike Oevermann, Member of Simmel Center (moderation); Martin Schwegmann, Member of Simmel Center (moderation)

Inputs:
Mathias Heyden, Assistant Professor Technical University Berlin: What are our real values? Community design and participatory architecture as tools for urban sustainability
Paola Alfaro d´Alencon and Daniela Konrad, Assistant Professors Technical University Berlin: Introduction of their Urban Research Camp; Design Laboratory
Frederik Björk, lecturer at Malmö University: Introduction to the Concepts of Social Entrepreneurship in connection to sustainable urban development

Magnus Johansson, Assistant Professor at Malmö University: Social innovation and sustainable urban development
Lise Bisballe, lecturer at Roskilde University and social entrepreneur: Introduction of the project socialventures@2200 in Copenhagen
Thomas Bisballe, analyst for the city of Copenhagen: Public actors and the facilitation of social entrepreneurship - How to interact with "the opposition
Levend Kalac, Architect and Master Student, Fachhochschule Frankfurt: Urban development challenges - the case of Norra Sorgenfri
Prof. Björn Bjerke, Linnaeus University: Local governments with public entrepreneurs in focus

Learning from Berlin? - Round up of the field trip at the Michelberger Hotel, Berlin

ExRotaPrint

Johannesburg24 at Bar25

Skateboard Venue at RAW Temple

On site explanation of the block structure of Berlin by Yves Mikelsons Roloff

Entrance to Prinzessinnengärten

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Reflections on the study trip from Karl Palmås: The ”post-productive” is the productive

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Sky high - Down Low: Architecture and the City in the financial crisis

2010-07-23T01:25:00.000+02:00

Urban Passion was invited to an expert workshop and conference at Bauhaus Foundation Dessau, Germany,
13th - 14th of November 2009

"The global financial crisis is confronting architecture and urbanism with its consequences. Vacant houses in the US post signs of the decline of entire residential streets and neighbourhoods after the mortgage crisis. In many cities camping sites have popped up where previous house owners take refuge after foreclosures: They are no longer able to amortize the mortgages, which exceed the value of their property. Is the living concept of suburbia questioned? The financial crisis has changed architectural practice. Architectural firms around the world respond to collapsed demand by cutting jobs and closing branch offices. The building industry is suffering from drastic staff and financial cuts. In addition massive geographic dislocations are taking place. Do architects and urbanists share the responsibility for the artificial stimulation of the building boom prior to the crisis? Form Follows Finance: To what degree do instruments of the financial market influence the direction of
architecture and urban development? What is the impact of the financial crises on urban settlements and infrastructures worldwide? Has the financial crisis finally resulted in a crisis of architecture and urban design?" text from the official flyer

Sulukule Reality - Panel Discussion

2010-01-27T14:50:00.034+01:00

21.11.2009, Naunynritze, Naunynstraße 63, Berlin Kreuzberg

in the framework of the music festival kreuztanbul III

host: Secil Yaylali

panellists:

Ede Müller, film-maker (video message), Berlin
Göksin Yaran, (translator) for Ede Müller, Istanbul
Funda Oral, Sulukule Platform, Istanbul
Martin Schwegmann, urban researcher and planner, Berlin
Sükrü Pündük, Roma Cultural Association Sulukule, Istanbul

Music: Mert Ustaoglu, Aytac Kiran, Yasin Kiran

photograph: Mehmet Bakir

photograph: Mehmet Bakir

Martin Schwegmann, Funda Oral, Secil Yaylali

Sulukule, located on the historic peninsular of Istanbul, is - or better was - one of the oldest Roma settlements in the world. A few years ago, Fatih municipality declared Sulukule a “collapsed” area and began an urban transformation project according to new laws. The project included the construction of luxury houses in the neighbourhood and the transfer of local Roma, many of them home owners, to apartments in the distant (56km) Taşoluk neighbourhood belonging to Istanbul’s Arnuvutköy district.

Martin Schwegmann and Marcus Müller-Witte went for field research to sulukule and tasoluk in 2008 and 2009

The urban transformation project caused an angry reaction from Roma and civil society organizations, who decried both the transfer of the population to an alternative location whose conditions were incompatible with their lifestyle. From Sulukule, 340 families moved to Taşoluk yet only six remained there; all others returned to Balat, a neighbourhood close to Sulukule.

The panel explained the current situation in Sulukule from the various points of view of the panellist.

photographs: Mehmet Bakir

photograph: Mehmet Bakir

Roma musicians rehearsing during the panel

Berlin - city without form

2010-01-27T12:49:00.017+01:00

lecture at the university of puerto rico, san juan,
15th of april 2009

lecturer: martin schwegmann, urban passion, berlin

"Berlin is the rome of the 20th century"

Berlin is a city torn between the historic reconstruction in the spirit of the innercity masterplan (planwerk innenstadt) after 1990 and temporary uses with its vibrant club culture. The titel, "berlin - city without form", is also the title of a book by philipp oswalt, the director of the bauhaus foundation in dessau. His book was written in 2001, about 10 years after the reunification. Back than it was an important counter voice to the backwards directed planning culture of berlin. He was one of the first who systematically analysed and acknowledged the underground and unplanned development in berlin. To oswalt, the urban quality of berlin lies not in its planned spaces, but much more in the overlapping and the resulting cracks of many different planing paradigms, which give berlin its harsh, yet very vivid impetus. To him berlin is the rome of the 20th century, showing all big political utopias and disasters in one big scared face.

Ten years after his book came out, the questions and concepts he brought up are still of utmost importance. The discussions are still going on and berlin is about to loose a great deal of its shapelessness - and maybe by this its unmistakable vigour. The re-erection of the castle is a new peak in brainless reconstruction. Martin Schwegmann, a witness and one of a new generation of architects, who studied in Berlin in the 90ies and is following the development for about 15 years, draws the main lines of the urban development of Berlin and gives an inside to the contemporary discourses, battle fields and glory wholes of berlins urban development.

From Engine Shed to Cultural Center

2010-01-26T23:44:00.038+01:00

urbanistic survey in the framework of the research program for Experimental Housing and Urban Development (ExWoSt) of the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs (BMVBS)

comissioned by: district of Friedrichshain/Kreuzberg, Berlin
organized by: tx-architekten, berlin
type: urbanistic survey, invited competition
date: october - november 2008
content: transforming a former engine shed into a cultural center
status: completed, 3rd place - adjacent buildings are torn down, engine shed remains unrenovated and empty (27.01.2010)
work group: johanna kuna, martin schwegmann

The engine shed lies in a brownfield, the former wriezener bahnhof in Berlin Friedrichshain/Kreuzberg, next to the well know club Berghain. The former railway area is getting converted into a community park. Through the federal ExWOSt program a participatory design process is financed, in which the reformed engine shed is to play a crucial role. Momentarily the fallow area of the park, the so-called wriezener freiraum labor (wriezener freespace lab), comprises different uses: BMX Bumptrack, School Garden, Basketball Cage, Freifunkhain (W-Lan Accesspoints)

The engine shed was meant to form a meeting point for the locals in the near by quarter. The meeting point had to meet the needs of people of all generations and be able to enhance the communication between young and old.

The greatest challenge was the very tight budget in connection with the potentially high adaptation cost of the old industrial building to its new use. Therefore we proposed a very soft intervention with only the renovation of the lower part of the building, an annex for office and toilets and a staircase plus terrace, which would connect the lower with the upper part of the building, securing a fire exit and yet forming an attractive outdoor space, we called it sun set peer, which would potentially attract people from inside and outside the close surrounding.

The transformation of the building was to take part in different phases in order to acquire potentially more budget over time, involve the people in the area and find somebody to run the place. In a third, optional phase, we proposed to renovate the adjacent buildings, which the building authority wanted to be torn down. In order to run the place effectively we thought the extra space would be very important to have. On top of that, one of the buildings, which was mainly financed by the district (Bezirksamt) just some years ago, had strong potentials as a venue for sports, culture and meetings.

a Midsummer ´Night´s Dream (new staircase could serve as an outdoor stage)

The upper part of the building was to be rebuild walk-able sculpture in order to keep the insulation regulation at minimum.

The suns set pier, the terrace were old and young could meet and enjoy the spectacular view

We were asked to look for sustainable ways of dealing with electricity, heating and water. Given the fact, that next to the engine shed a huge wholesale is situated, our idea was to use a heat pump, in order to use the heat produces from the cooling of the wholesale. The use of rain and sun for water and electricity was obvious.

above you see the potential sports hall, mentioned above, which is now torn down

a new quarter in the heart of berlin

2010-01-26T15:31:00.031+01:00

urbanistic survey for former berlin wall area,
commissioned by the district Berlin Mitte

type: urbanistic survey, invited competition
date: april to october 2008
content: development of a strategy and possible housing typology for a new quarter on the former no man´s land of the Berlin wall in Berlin Mitte (Centre) in the area of alte Jakobstraße and Alexandrienen Straße (near Metro Spittelmarkt)
status: completed, 3rd place
workgroup: KUNSTrePUBLIK, Urban Passion, ifau

In an urbanistic survey, commissioned by the municipality of Berlin/Mitte, we were invited to develop a new utilization and building concept for an area within the margins of the former death strip of the berlin wall between alte Jakob Straße, Alexandrinen- and Stallschreiber Straße. Within an interdisciplinary team of artists and architects we first organized interviews and talks with local inhabitants and external experts in an specially created vehicle. These talks formed a decisive basis of our proposal.

invited experts:

Klaus Overmeyer, landscape architect, urban catalyst studio, expert for bottom up planning

Horst Pfander, stattbau.de & Selbstbau Kreuzberg, expert for self-organized building

Winfried Härtel, Wohnprojekte-Berlin.info, expert for house builder groups

Berthold Becker, JonesLang LaSalle - Asset Management, expert for real estate development

Ralf Chille, TPA-berlin.de, Agentur für Quartiersmarketing, expert for place branding

Dr. Michael LaFont, id22, institute for creative sustainability, expert for alternative urban development

Christophe Kotanyi, AG-Kleinstlandwirtschaft und Gärten in Stadt und Land, expert for guerilla gardening and temporary uses

Alex Toland, Wrietzener Freiraumlabor Berlin, expert for guerilla gardening and temporary uses

The expert talks with their fruitful discussions created substantial input for our concepts.

Our key concepts:
-development in phases, small parcels,
-openness of identity = the possibility of experiments
-necessity of a program jump start, an initial spark
-connected, and accessible green spaces with individual use

The mix of "formal" and "informal" uses should be given in order to start right away with a diverse multiplicity of players in order to give the place a rather unique profile.
What do we mean by formal and informal uses? Formal once are those which are rather permanent and need high investment such as housing. Less permanent and less investment intensive uses like gardening, temporary workspaces, cultural venues we see as informal uses. Less permanent refers to the character of the spacial intervention following the use. Nevertheless we regard these uses as very important to shape the original character of the quarter.

In order to give smaller investors the chance to build and
also to get a better mix of users, our concept foresees relatively small parcels and the development in phases, in order to avoid a permanent building site. The aim is, to complete intact parts. That makes a long development phase bearable.

Concerning a possible architecture for the area we developed relatively flexible floor plan solutions which facilitate multi family uses. We try to keep the green spaces as big, connected and accessible as possible within the tight framework of the task.

POST-SKATEBOREDISM *

2009-12-08T00:06:00.028+01:00

Skateboarding is great! But there is so much more to vivid city life that we can see, plan and promote with a different more varied imagery.

This blog is open for your thoughts and examples of post-skateboredism.. Load'em up!

PECHA KUCHA ON POSTSKATEBOREDISM
with Peter Bjerg
Peter Bjerg

copenhagen

9th of december, 2009
19:30 - 21:30
Door: 35DKK

at Kunsthallen Nikolaj

* Peter Bjerg introduced the term "skateboredism" at the first mikro congress of urban passion, meaning that whenever it comes to the depiction of alternative, vibrant urban culture you see (and place) skateboards and half-pipes.

"Post-skateboardism" is a playful term invented to overcome this narrow-mindedness and open for concepts of city spaces which can encompass different groups of urban users.

Instant Glamour

2009-11-18T16:48:00.017+01:00

Old Looks in a "New Urbanism" - What city does that create?

Urban Passion published the article "Instant Glamour" in MUDOT, Magazin on Urban Documentation, Opinion and Theory about Jakriborg, a town in southern sweden. It can be seen as one exponent of the new urbanism movement in europe. The article explores if the building of new old towns can be an answer to today's housing needs and what kind of urban environment the skin deep reproduction of an medieval town can provide. Download pdf

Open publication - Free publishing - More mudot

Workshop :"SPACES AND IDEAS -Urban Utopias and Realities from Latin America to Eastern Europe"

2009-06-22T17:37:00.019+02:00

20th of june 2009, georg simmel center of metropolitan studies, berlin

Utopias of modernism between Latin America and Eastern Europe: How do they look and what has become of them? In the framework of the GSZ workshop “Spaces and Ideas” on June 20th, different urban utopias got revisited and compared. Prof. Jorge Lizardi-Pollock, an architectural historian of the university of Puerto Rico, focuses on the development of city renewal from the 1930s to the 1960s in Latin America, especially in Mexico and the Caribbean. The town planner Florian Koch (University of Applied Sciences, Erfurt) describes the archetypical construction of the “socialist city” and shows the realities of socialist urban development by looking at assorted Eastern European cities. In the last lecture Joanna Kusiak (University of Warsaw, Philosophy, Sociology) analyses the specific condition of South-East European urban development as a result of the immediate availability of the city for dictatorships. The workshop was moderated by Martin Schwegmann, Architect and Urban Researcher. Download Program

http://graduatesstudiesgroup.blogspot.com/

31/01/09 - 1rst MICRO CONGRESS URBAN PASSION

2009-01-26T17:03:00.067+01:00

Postskatebordism and are we a band?

The aim of the first "MICRO CONGRESS URBAN PASSION" was the founding of the network, to introduce the members to each other, to issue a manifesto, which charts the common agenda for the future: How to incorporate passion and power, mainstream and alternative media, urban research and urban development in a progressive way?

If we have the passion, when do we fuck?

The conference took place at the “plattenbau” in Neue Grünstraße 20 in Berlin. The great congress hall provided the inspiring atmosphere for collective brainstorms, passionate discussions and constructive exchange. The participants told about their personal passion for the urban and how they see themselves within the network.

"taxi pinball made me an urbanist"
(tore dobberstein)

After the personal passion pitches (pecha kucha style short presentations) the goals, the way of organisation of the network and possible next projects were discussed.

Peter Bjerg introduced the term "skateboardism", meaning that whenever it comes to the depiction of alternative, vibrant urban culture you see skateboards and halfpipes. How to overcome this possible narrowmindedness and create concepts which can encompass also different groups of urban users?

After the congress a vernissage was showing first results, outcomes, discussions to invited friends.

PARTICIPANTS OF THE 1rst MICRO CONGRESS:

PETER BJERG, Political Science, Democrat, Copenhagen
CENK BORA, Publicist, Berlin, Istanbul
TORE DOBBERSTEIN, Urban developer, Berlin
GRÈGOIRE FETTWEIS, Architect, Liege
BENNY JEPSEN, Urban activist, Copenhagen
BENJAMIN KOHLSTADT, Geographer, Berlin
CARLOS KRÄUSSLEIN, Art director, Berlin
MADS PETER LAURSEN, Urban activist, Copenhagen
MARCUS MÜLLER-WITTE, Filmmaker, Photographer, Berlin
MARTIN SCHWEGMANN, Architect, Berlin

Reason tells stories, but passion urges us for action!

Antoine Comte de Rivarol

>more photos

Istanbul - City in Change

2008-11-19T22:28:00.019+01:00

Urban Passion worked on a movie about the current urban transformation processes in Istanbul. In recent years radical urban renewal projects are under way, which threaten great parts of the inner city population by demolition of their homes and eviction.

Unfortunately we weren´t able to finish it. No TV Station we offered it to was interested. We work on!

Watch the trailer now! (only in German) or visit www.changeistanbul.blogspot.com

Instant Dinner - Spontaneous Culture in Malmö - Sunday, 22nd of June

2008-06-19T08:44:00.041+02:00

InstantDinner-

COMe ANd COOK WITh US!

By URBAN PASSION (Berlin - København)
Djawed Kimouche - Martin Schwegmann - Martin Søberg - Peter Bjerg

Date: Sunday 22. June 2008
Place: Kristianstadsgatan, Malmö
Time: 13 hours (first planners meeting)
dinner starts at 18pm

We come to malmö to prepare a dinner with everybody who wants to join us. Everybody can contribute! The idea is to start a spontaneous collective action with people we never met before - Come and Join us!

We are a group of passionate urbanists!. With "Instant Dinner" we wish to enhance the involvement of people in their urban context and raise the awareness for the potentials and the limits of spontaneous urban culture.

How to participate: You could join Urban Passion in the process during the day or you could just show up with food, drinks, good friends, music, furniture, candles etc.. to share with the others.

Vortrag Open Source Urbanismus

2008-04-14T18:05:00.028+02:00

17.04.2008, 19:00 Uhr
Stadtteilbüro, Warschauer Straße 23, Berlin

Lecture about the theory and practice of participatory urban development
with Martin Schwegmann, Architect and Town Planner, urbanpassion

"Local players shape their city. The city becomes an open source code, which can be developed by everyone. By now this kind of city adds on to Berlin's image substantially. How can this development be maintained."

Within the framework of the jour fixe of wriezener freiraum labor, part of the research programme Experimental Housing and Urban Development (ExWoSt) of the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs (BMVBS)

Vortrag und Diskussion zu Theorie und Praxis patizipatorischer Stadtentwicklung
mit Martin Schwegmann, Architekt und Stadtplaner, urbanpassion

“Zunehmend gestalten lokale Akteure ihre Stadt. Die Stadt wird zum offenen Quellcode, an dem jeder mit entwickeln kann. Diese Stadt trägt in Berlin inzwischen wesentlich zum Image bei. Wie kann diese Entwicklung erhalten bleiben?”

Im Rahmen des Jour Fixe des Wriezener Freiraumlabors, Teil des Forschungsprogramms Experimenteller Wohnungs- und Städtebau "ExWoSt" des Bundesministeriums für Verkehr, Bau und Stadtentwicklung.

Urban Pioneers

2008-02-29T13:48:00.020+01:00

foto iris czak

Urban Passion and Metapol published an article about "Zwischennutzung" in the danish weekly newspaper Weekendavisen.

Urban Passion und Metapol publizieren Artikel über Zwischennutzung in der dänischen Wochenzeitung Weekendavisen.

download the pdf

The berlin based landscape architect Klaus Overmeyer, founder of urban catalyst studio, released a book for the senate for urban development of berlin about the temporary users and uses of buildings and lots, which he calls urban pioneers. He discusses the possibilities and potentials of these informal players for the development of a vibrant and sustainable city. We interviewed him and asked for the actual situation in Berlin and how he compares it to other european cities, which developments he detects.

Further we interviewed Jan Lilliendahl Larsen, part of urban task force/ copenhagen and doing a phd on "urban recycling", and asked him about the situation and potentials for temporary use in copenhagen.

Upload your City

2007-10-26T20:34:00.009+02:00

Martin Schwegmann moderiert zusammen mit Tore Dobberstein vom ZfzK (Zentrum für zeitgenössische Kultur) aus Halle/Saale den videoblog www.uploadyourcity.com in Florenz auf dem Festival della Creatività 2007. www.festivaldellacreativita.it

Schaut vorbei!!

Martin Schwegmann is moderating together with the ZfzK (centre for contemporary culture) from Halle/Saale the videoblog www.uploadyourcity.com in florence at the festival of creativity 2007. www.festivaldellacreativita.it

Have a look!

Winning entry below:

"TORTEN UND MENSCHEN"
KLUB7 and DUNJA KOPI
FASHION-COLLECTION 07
MUSIK BY MIKEOKAY (KLUB7)

Malmö Islands - A new symbol for Malmö

2007-10-19T19:07:00.013+02:00

competition 2007 by malmö form and design centre

winning entry - 2nd round

project group:

peter bjerg, social innovation consultant, dk, metapol.dk
viviana de micheli, design student, it
martin schwegmann, architect, de
richard sjögren, entrepreneur, se
liv zetterling, artist, se

The task was to create a new symbol for the southern Swedish city of Malmö. What could that be we asked our selves and started thinking: Turning Torso, the just finished Highrise by the spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, times three?

No- we looked for unused potentials of the city and found them in its waterfronts, which are many places unused or not leading to street life, not connecting the spatial potential to vitalizing function.

So we came up with a catalyst, an easy to implement and easy to adapt solution: Floating Islands in a honeycomb shape.

These islands should have a special status, a free zone, were certain rules are not applied or are changed and tested. The island like a pirate island, where opening hours, tax and insurance matters can be treated differently for a period of legal adventure.

Malmö Islands would be a synonym for a progressive, daring urban development agenda of an upcoming local metropolis. It has the potential of a political showcase, the malmö model. Many cities in europe face similar challenges in dealing with their post industrial waterfronts. High prize development is just one possible answer.

Viral and humming cultural uses do seldomly stem from this type of development. Malmö Islands would be the possibility of integrating high culture and alternative drive.

more pictures here

Authenticity - City Branding 2.0

2007-09-26T14:00:00.007+02:00

Lecture at Rummet/Republikken in Copenhagen...

4th of october | 4 - 5 pm | vesterbrogade 24

Tore Dobberstein from complizen and Martin Schwegmann from urban passion talk about how to create authenticity in urban branding. Urban branding 2.0 is the key.

afterwards talks and drinks

www.rummet.net
www.republikken.net