POROSCITY: HOUSING LIFE AND DIVERSITY DESIGN

Studio Iv

GIU Berlin | Architecture and Urban Design Program | Spring Semester 2022

Supervisors: Prof. Dr. David Calas | TA. Joy Samuel | TA. Hassan Hussin

KREUZBERG, THE WORLD-FAMOUS DISTRICT NEAR BERLIN MITTE, IS KNOWN FOR ITS DIVERSE FORMS OF URBAN LIVING. ONCE ONE OF THE POOREST AREAS OF WEST-BERLIN, SURROUNDED FROM THREE SIDES BY THE WALL, THE DISTRICT SOON BECAME A GENTRIFIED AREA AFTER THE GERMAN REUNIFICATION IN THE 90IES. TODAY KREUZBERG CAN BE SEEN AS A INTERESTING URBAN STUDY FIELD, WHERE ALTERNATIVE LIFESTYLES ADJOIN WITH LUXURY APARTMENTS, POORER LIVING CONDITIONS CLASH WITH EXUBERANT REAL ESTATE INVESTMENTS AND WHERE SUBCULTURE MOVEMENTS RAISE “RIGHT TO THE CITY!” DEMANDS. THIS ENCOUNTER TRIGGERS QUESTIONS, ASKING HOW ARCHITECTURE CAN PICK-UP THE ROLE AS MEDIATOR. DESIGN STUDIO IV ENCOUNTERS THE WORDPLAY POROSCITY BY INTERTWINING THE WORD POROSITY AND CITY. WHILE THE TERM POROSITY REFERS TO THE CONNECTION BETWEEN INSIDE AND OUTSIDE, CITY IMPLIES TO THE DIVERSE ENVIRONMENT OF HUMAN AND NONHUMAN BEINGS IN THE URBAN REALM. THEREFORE, POROSCITY SUMS UP THE ENDEAVOURS WHICH WILL BE ENCOUNTERED DURING DESIGN STUDIO IV. ENCOUNTERS, WHICH RESULT IN AN EXPERIENCE OF SPACE BY CONNECTING DIFFERENT FORMS OF HOUSING WITH A DIVERSITY OF ACTIVITIES AND OPEN FUNCTIONS.