Making Heimat. Germany, Arrival Country

The organisation “Über den Tellerrand” (Outside the Box) has had its new headquarters in the Berlin district of Schöneberg since summer 2015. The purpose of the organisation is to facilitate integration on equal terms by way of jointly organised events with a cultural focus, wherefrom comes the idea of supplementing the office rooms in a former corner shop unit in Roßbachstraße by a large kitchen space (“Kitchen Hub”).
The Kitchen Hub was initiated and implemented in close cooperation between the Habitat Unit of the Institute for Architecture at the Technical University of Berlin, the CoCoon Studio that plans and builds with students, and the operators. Students, refugees, teachers and volunteers jointly conceived, planned and finished the rooms.
It was based on a blueprint of students (Theodora Constantin, Judith Schiebel, Vanessa Vogel) of the Design Studios “Refugee City: Cooking with Refugees in Berlin” at the Habitat Unit in the summer term 2015, in which communal cooking was the starting point. Itemisation and implementation ensued within the scope of a DesignBuild Summer School (sponsored by the STO Foundation) in August last year.
The result was a central cooking island that can be extended to a large table. Due to a modular system, the tables can be used either at standing or sitting height. Unneeded elements are simply stored in a shelf. Diverse activities in addition to cooking will be possible in the 55 m² kitchen space. The modular design system enables multifunctional uses of the space, for example for workshops, discussion sessions or neighbourhood gatherings.
Refugees and the indigenous population can learn from one another and experience new cultures at a neutral place, free from prejudice and media images. The Kitchen Hub is aimed at promoting a common local identity and social participation. It was opened on 27 November 2015.

Text: Kirsten Klingbeil
from: Stadtbauwelt 48.2015