KAROW KREUZ KLUB
a new perspective on urban living
Europan 17 Living Cities Competition
Winner x Berlin
Autumn-Winter 2023
the process
Participating in and winning a European competition has always been an aspiration for us. Upon examining the 2023 theme, we experience an ‘aha’ moment – the theme of "Living Cities" presents an ideal canvas for us to channel years of personal interests and research into Urban Regeneration through a Real Non-Anthropocentric lens. This passion originated during our university days when we and our friends collaborated on a studio project with Professor Stefano Boeri. In this unique endeavour, we were tasked with designing a project without a specific location, strict rules, or a program tailored for humans; instead, our focus was on creating spaces for animals. This experience served as a revelation in our architectural profession. We were driven to craft a project that resonates with and promotes an alternative way of living, where we, as animals, design for the environment, considering the well-being of other species as well. In this sense, our project is strictly entangled with the ecological and social evolution that the world seems ready to listen to nowadays. The change in the ownership system is the peak of an evolutionary development where people are now finally able to focus on enjoying a life in harmony with nature instead of worrying about accumulating and consuming.
Karower Kreuz today: fragmented area with barriers for biodiversity and human movements
On the example of Karower Kreuz, our club proposes to rethink the idea of ‘garden cities’. It’s time to shift from the idea of nature being present solely in the backyards of our cities to nature being the main actor. Nature is the main actor. Our cities are its mere subscribers - and humans are part of it!
To unlock all the benefits of the club, just follow our simple rules:
Rule N1. We are NOT the protagonists.
Karow Kreuz Klub - the new ecocene
Rule N2. To make the cohabitation in the club a win-win,
we need to change our understanding of ownership.
For years, the real estate mindset has been: white fence, 30 year mortgage, kids, and jobs. And while the “classic” residential home ownership is currently prevalent in the area, today’s life and challenges impose new models of thinking. If owning an entire home is extremely unaffordable, why not we accept to own a piece of one? If we are anyway paying a monthly long-rent, why can’t those rent payments earn us fractional pieces of our house? What if slices of other people’s homes could be owned as an asset - with controlled measures of who is entitled to buy them - sold and exchanged with the ease of one click on a dedicated platform?
Our club brought the idea to Pankow, that home ownership can be partial or become a widely available asset. By combining densification efforts with new ownership models, we transform suburban areas into vibrant and accessible communities. This operation promotes environmental preservation and care, affordability and increase of housing options, and it allows more individuals to participate in real estate ownership and investment opportunities. New ways of proprietorship are introduced. Fractional ownership enables shared ownership of additional dwelling units and plug-in units, making the real estate market more accessible. Co-ownership models facilitate collective participation, ownership and management of densified properties, fostering cost-sharing benefits. Rent-to-own arrangements help renters transition to homeownership in densified urban environments. Mixed-use developments incorporate new ownership models, allowing individuals to own both residential units and commercial spaces. Digital fractional ownership platforms enhance accessibility and transferability of dwellings and garden homes as assets.
The brief history of our Club - meet our club members and discover their stories
2023-2050
Additional Dwelling Units &
Plug-Ins
phase 1:
2 years, kick-off period
2024 - 2025
pilot program for neighbourhood densification and diversificarion
1000 new dwelling units
This operation involves implementing ADUs and plug-in units to generate additional income for homeowners, accommodate elderly family members, and establish community-oriented workshops, shops, and civic functions like libraries or small concert halls, enhancing the livability and functionality of the neighbourhood. In its most saturated state, our operation aims to increase population density by 15%, fostering a vibrant and sustainable community in the area.
Rule N3. In order to stay you need to build - build for nature first.
Revisiting Rail
&Industrial Legacy
phase 2:
5 years,
main implementation period
2025 - 2030
The new program for densification of department stores + railway station 2.0
total 3000 dwelling units
The club-station is a place of transit and a dynamic hub for the community at the same time. It fosters connectivity, community engagement, and environmental preservation. The station consists of 4 parts: The Canopy, The Hill, The Co-Hub and The Conservatory. The perfect balance between them is achieved by adding the Connecting Ring, which works both as a bridge between all the sides and as a viewing deck.
Working on the Edges
phase 3:
5 years, active start in 2030 - 2035
Densification and completion of the edges of built environments with new mixed-use developments
total 7000 dwelling units
New developments are strategically placed on the existing edges of the urban fabric to fill in the gaps within the urban blocks. New housing helps to create a cohesive and integrated built environment and enhances the connectivity. Placed along infrastructure borders, part of the new housing also acts as a sound barrier for the area.
A114
phase 4:
a long term project for 2035-2050
Transforming the biggest barrier for biodiversity and the source of noise into a green orchard-deck
total 9000 dwelling units and 98% of initial land maintained unbuilt.
Finally, our club was ready for the biggest endeavor! The A114 motorway was transformed into an underground tunnel. Orchards that occupied the space along Panke river were repositioned to the orchard deck over the tunnel. The land that became vacant was used for re-naturing Panke river and for the construction of new high-density housing.
Rule N4. Staying is Caring
The open green spaces play a vital role in Berlin’s fabric. We took one of these spaces and transformed it into an inhabitable biodiversity hub - some sort of urban club. Club members reside within these hubs, taking an active role in maintaining and activating the terrain. They engage in sustainable shelter construction for both people and animals, experiment with cutting-edge design and landscape preparation techniques, and introduce a new way of living in our cities in harmony with the other living beings.
We developed a series of guidelines - we called them tool-kits - that together with a well designed landscape preparation, coordinated between architect, urban planner, landscape architect, biologists, sociologist and of course - you, the citizen - will allow to prepare and define the route for the new Karow Kreuz Klub. Smart Landscape, Mix of high and low-tech orchards, smart building management, sound barrier bird nest-walls, biomaterials construction, self-constructing and 3D printing technique - those are only a few of the many elements that define this ambitious and yet needed project.
Rule N5. We DO talk about the club!
1. Reader Mode: Access the free and open platform to exchange knowledge and experience about urban biodiversity, contribute information, and share with the community. Use the app to collect information on animals, explore stories of people living in the club, learn about club rules and organization, and access instructions for building animal shelters and activating nature.
2. Guest Mode: Join the rich and heterogeneous community of people involved in the club’s activities, aiming to change the city’s mentality through knowledge diffusion and personal experiences of living. Engage in activities, events, and discussions centered around urban biodiversity.
3. Standard Subscription: Participate in landscape preparation and activation operations, engage in the design and construction of settlements and shelters, following guidelines and coordinating efforts with architects and volunteers. Help create harmonious cohabitation spaces for humans and animals, respecting the animals’ needs and prioritizing their well-being. Get your own dwelling unit in exchange for your contribution.
4. Guardian Subscription: Embrace a higher level of commitment and responsibility by taking on the role of a guardian. As a guardian, you actively care for the animals and their habitats, ensuring their well-being and protection. This subscription includes responsibilities such as monitoring and maintaining shelters, supporting the needs of the animal species in the club, and promoting cohabitation between humans and animals. By being a guardian, you play a crucial role in fostering biodiversity and creating a harmonious ecosystem within the club. On the other hand, you also run the business activities on site in cooperation with other guardians of the club.
JOIN THE CLUB!
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THE WORKSHOP
September 16-17
Berlin 2024
The workshop held at Stadtwerkstadt focused on envisioning the future of Karower Kreuz. Participants represented the SenStadt, SenMVKU, Deutsche Bahn, BA Pankow. Participants provided feedback on the designs, identifying potential, challenges, and realistic ideas using a color-coded system. After a group discussion, participants split into two focus groups—mobility and identity/building density. Each group analyzed specific aspects of the area, created sketches, and discussed their findings. The workshop concluded with a final discussion on the future vision for Karower Kreuz.
To inspire further ideas, we provided participants with a deck of cards that we developed specifically for the workshop - a landscape activation and placemaking team. They could place these cards on the map or add their own suggestions on blank cards. After the workshop, the collected notes and cards were digitized and compiled into a map to highlight the core aspects.
If you would like to use the cards game in your workshop or if you have any suggestions based on your practice, drop us a line!
We will happily share our methodology and materials ready for print*.
***A
big thanks to the generative AI for allowing us to produce nice stuff in almost no time.
We are currently conducting research on ADU and Plug-In Units, Department Store and Supermarket Densification and Inhabited Infrastructure. We are always open to collaboration, consultancy and pilot project commissions on these topics!