RETHINK BERLIN - UP SIGNS POSITION PAPER

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

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

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

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