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An intertwining of four Berlin communities

Part 2 Project 2003
Laura Bennett
Paloma Strelitz
 University of Edinburgh Edinburgh | UK
Despite the successful functioning of separate districts for immigrants, bohemians and the wealthy within Berlin, there is an urge for a society where everyone is the same. As the new global architecture eradicates traces of past divisions, the city forgets it is this focus on difference and divide which fuelled its vibrancy. My project investigates an intertwining of immigrant, allotment, apartment block and market communities and the resultant ‘showdown’ spaces. The community developments were initially investigated as a series of territories and boundaries created by their relative differences in movement. The development weaves through the city, along the wasteland left by the former Berlin wall.
Laura Bennett
Paloma Strelitz

Beginning with an analysis of different kinds of movement-patterns (swarm, stampede, prowl, huddle, etc.), Laura developed a complex urban project which imagined the chain of sites within Berlin which marks the former existence of the wall as a complex circulatory within the city. Within it, housing typologies for immigrants were interwoven with supporting facilities and other accommodational forms. Choosing one area, Laura demonstrated, in a series of quite beautiful drawings, the quality of urban space that could be achieved: her proposal is both strongly civic, yet inventive, pliant, and highly responsive to the ebb and flow of activities that would wash across it during the cycles of everyday life in the city. More generally, in urban terms it is an intriguing and suggestive proposal for this extraordinary urban inner ring of waste-land that is currently in danger of being simply obliterated.
Tutor(s)
Ms Naomi House
2003
A masterplan for the entire site showing the intertwining of the four proposed communities. Each community is represented with a mechanical object taken from the initial site model. Each machine produces a different flow within the community.
Exploded isometric view of proposal. View focusing in on a chosen area of the site, showing the interaction of the four communities.
Isometric view of market community proposals. Market consists of market halls, a light weaving construction of boutiques, and horizontal plates for outdoor activity.
Isometric view of 'drive-in housing' and 'allotment' communities. The front lattice wall of the housing forms an animated edge to the public space, standing in contrast to the inward looking nature of typical apartment housing.
Site plan. Plan view focusing in on the chosen area of site.
Detailed plan of market community. The weaving construction stretches across and out of the site boundary to connect with the surrounding existing communities.
Detailed plans of housing and allotment communities. The allotment trays are elevated high above the ground by means of the spine wall which holds the utilities of the housing.
Market hall study. Sections showing the diurnal change of the market. Night-the market closes up and the boutique acts as a lantern. Day-both the hall and boutique open up to the public space.
Lantern boutique details. Section and plan of the boutique sitting within market hall. The boutique is protected by a system of steel grills which opens up in the day and forms a protective territorial space.
Lattice wall detail 1. Plan detail of 'drive in housing' facade with photographs of model.
Lattice wall detail 2. Sectional detail of 'drive in housing' facade with photographs of model.
Allotment tray study. Section and model photographs of allotment tray. The allotments are held high within concrete trays in order to address rising land costs plus the ideology of the allotment as retreat.
Initial site analysis model plus the four machines which were equated with the four chosen communities.
Overall site model showing intertwining of the four communities with the surrounding area.
Sketch model looking north up the site.
Sectional model of proposals showing market, allotment and housing communities.
Sectional model of proposals showing housing lattice and allotment tray.
Section through market hall, drive-in-housing and allotments. The market boutiques weave across and out of the site. Here the kiosk adresses the surrounding community and animates the existing street facade.
Section through library, market hall, tower staircase for drive-in-housing, and ramp weaving down to existing street.
Section through allotment staircase tower, drive-in-housing, and allotment. The allotment staircase tower also supports walkways which bridge across the railway line, stitching the surrounding area with the new community.
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