Design Studio Berlin

Spring Semester 2023

The Fascinating Case of Habersaathstrasse

by Kristina Shatokhina, Christine Jiayi Chen

Lecturers: Florian Hertweck and Markus Miessen

Wooden terraces attached to a South facade would prevent the building from overheating and connect apartments to an elevator and communal facilities.

The reactionary project evolved in the context of a common struggle against building demolitions in central Berlin. Focusing on the case of a threatened building on Habersaathstrasse, it dived into its complicated histories, haunted present and possible futures. The conducted research shed light on the lives of affected individuals and communities, uncovering the government policies that fuel such demolitions, and exploring Habersaathstrasse’s transition from social housing to a targeted site for luxury apartment development.

Students presented a comprehensive proposal to preserve Habersaathstrasse and improve it with minimal interventions, focusing on ecological and social sustainability, community well-being, and accessibility. Proposed measures include improvement of cross-ventilation, add-on vertical terraces with access to the elevator and communal areas, refurbishment of the abandoned ground floor for various community facilities, and attracting biodiversity through urban forestry and Beekeeping. At its core, the project advocates for human rights against forced evictions. By prioritizing notions of care, it aims to break the destructive cycle of gentrification and empower vulnerable communities.

Added wooden terrace structure with three functional themes. Since the top terrace has no roof, it gets the most sunlight and rainwater to utilize them for productive gardening. The third floor could be used for barbecues and summer parties, with the ventilation corridor carrying the smoke further from the building. The second-floor terrace surrounded by lush green forestry is perfect for recreational activities like meditation, yoga, and sports. The covered space on the ground floor could be used for bike parking for as many as 80 bikes and trash collectors and rainwater collectors.

Cultivating a forest on unsealed surfaces would create a perfect space for the meadow, where productive trees would be planted. After several years, apple, pear, and cherry trees started producing fruits, providing rich in nutrients and organic food for the inhabitants of the building block.