Craft Yard

Masterthese

Sommer '21

Sinali Lal-d’Aram

The Craft Yard aims to re-think the biodiversity of an existing courtyard within a “Berliner Block” as a living habitat, a social and ecological open space in Schöneberg. The future vision for this project is proposed within the framework of the existing European Environment commission (EEC): Biodiversity 2030, the habitat & bird directives, farm to fork, ecosystem services and green infrastructure strategy Illustration: Sinali Lal-d’Aram

The Craft Yard – a Master Thesis jointly supervised by Eike Roswag-Klinge (Natural Building Lab, TU Berlin) and Tatjana Schneider (TU Braunschweig) – aimed to re-think the biodiversity of an existing courtyard within a “Berliner Block” as a living habitat, a social and ecological open space in Schöneberg.

The existing protected ensemble of ‘Maison de Santé’ is a chosen site of inquiry as a standstill and fragmented with conflict of interests despite its multilayered historical claims in subverting the top-down processes. The future vision for this project is proposed within the framework of the existing European Environment Commission (EEC): Biodiversity 2030, the habitat & bird directives, farm-to-fork, ecosystem services, and green infrastructure strategy.

The program for the Craft Yard is evolved through a wish pool created by interviewing the inhabitants & Initiatives in the neighborhood. An Association of an already existing bottom-up institution and significant historical pioneers is proposed. Four themes of Local – Biodiversity, Craft – Practice, Actor – Solidarity and Knowledge – Resource forms the base for a future program, collaborations and sustainable growth as a process for the overall site

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In order to design the program, wishes of the future and what is missing, feedback was collected in the neighborhood through a set of questions. Illustration: Sinali Lal-d’Aram

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Mapping the neighbourhood. Illustration: Sinali Lal-d’Aram

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Mapping the Actor Network. Illustration: Sinali Lal-d’Aram

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In order to design the program, wishes of the future and what is missing, feedback was collected in the neighborhood through a set of questions. Illustration: Sinali Lal-d’Aram

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Treehouse is a cohabitation structure to support the biodiversity of the courtyard on the ideas of ‘Nature culture’ as Donna Haraway describes. On the ground floor, Treehouse cafe offers registration to the workshops as well as tea – coffee and snacks. The toolyard provides tools for workshops on Perennial gardening and mapping the perennial zone. Illustration: Sinali Lal-d’Aram

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The higher levels of the structure are gathering spaces and offers a different program for film screening, informal talks lecture demonstration. Apart from the defined program, the structure is also meant for the undefined program as learning spaces for children and meditation spaces for adults as well as nesting-resting zones for different species of birds, a home for perennial species as well as squirrels and rabbits and a house for the community of bats. Illustration: Sinali Lal-d’Aram

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Community Greenhouse joins an existing local actor Alpar‘s vegetable garden on site and creates a food chain cycle: herb garden, kitchen garden, high beds, composting yard, cooking workshops and events around Food to fork strategy. Illustration: Sinali Lal-d’Aram

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The Community Kitchen | Greenhouse. Illustration: Sinali Lal-d’Aram

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A Day in the ‚Hof‘. Illustration: Sinali Lal-d’Aram

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As a symbolic gate, Maisonette is an ‘Info-point’ for the craft-yard. It has structure that unfolds as a tool kiosk and mobile workshop on the street. The kiosk forms an extension of the kita’s allowing activities to spill around after official hours. it is run in collaboration with parents and jugend club on the site and offers special programs for children like film screenings and theater workshops. In the evening the kiosk transforms into a stage for performances, concerts and invites artists together with the youth club. Illustration: Sinali Lal-d’Aram

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