HOUSEEUROPE!  INITIATIVE

HouseEurope! is a citizens’ initiative for an EU-legislation that boosts the renovation of existing buildings and stops their demolition driven by speculation

Status: Currently we are in the process of drafting our legislative proposal. Sign up for the newsletter and receive updates on the initiative and a reminder when the signature period starts.

HOUSEEUROPE! 

THE TRANSFORMATION ISSUE

Every building is up for demolition, you just don’t know yet! Today, buildings are treated as investments rather than spaces for people to live. Due to financial speculation, millions of square meters sit empty and ruin, are being demolished and replaced: from abandoned industrial and office spaces to functioning family homes. This practice creates social and environmental problems.

From this semester on, the design studios at station+ will be dedicated to a political initiative with the goal of implementing a legislation on a European level. HouseEurope! addresses the challenges of the existing building stock, which currently contributes to financial speculation and neglects its potential to support the social-ecological transformation. The goal of the initiative is to achieve a cultural and legislative shift of the building sector by promoting the adaptive reuse and renovation of existing buildings.

IM BESTAND: BERLIN TEMPELHOF

ARCHITECTING CONFLICTING INTERESTS

For years, the housing demand has exceeded the existing housing stock in Berlin. The economic reality of Berlin as a shrinking and deficient city was the origin and justification for a period of privatisation of land and property, leaving the city-owned housing associations with only a few options for inner-city housing development today.

In September 2011, the citizens’ initiative 100% Tempelhofer Feld was founded, framing the ecological value of the green and recreational space in the inner city and opposing the construction of new housing as intended by the Berlin Senate. On 25th of May 2014, the referendum on the preservation took place: 64% of the votes were in favor of it - a clear articulation of public interest. A dialogical understanding of interests. Instead of creating the dichotomy of “either – or” we suggest using “both – and” asking: who builds where for whom?

Work presented on the second midterm reviews of autumn semester 2021 – Farmer Willi goes Almeria. Written and produced by Leo Graf.

Work presented on the second midterm reviews of autumn semester 2021 – Farmer Willi goes Almeria. Written and produced by Myriam Marti.

Work presented on the second midterm reviews of autumn semester 2021 – Farmer Willi goes Almeria. Written and produced by Giacomo Rossi and Qianer Zhu.

Work presented on the second midterm reviews of autumn semester 2021 – Farmer Willi goes Almeria. Written and produced by Michael Farris and Leon Kallert.

Before the Collapse: Architecting (Eco)Systems

This semester we are continuing to explore the theme of cohabitation: the interplay of human and nonhuman systems in our built environment. But this time, we are focusing on a given ecosystem, as the context for our architectural proposals. Further, we are expanding our toolbox: storytelling and film continue to play an overarching role, but we are opening up the studio to other media and forms of architectural exploration.

“Europe‘s sea of plastic”, Almería in the south of Spain, is our point of departure. It is one of the many places where our globa- lized and accelerated ways of life become visible and take on built form. Together, we want to explore and understand the diffe- rent types of architecture that can be found on site. Dating from different times, created for different needs. A deeper understan- ding of the systemic relations of these local structures is essential in order to become active and to produce architectural models for the future — for Almeria and beyond.

HOUSING THE NON-HUMAN 02 – A (SHOW)CASE

Look around you! and you will realize that the built environment has changed our ecosystem forever. Consequently, the question we have to ask ourselves today is: how can architecture actively help the environment and involve other species as equal agents? Or, how can we design and built an architecture of multi-species co-habitation? Therefore, HOUSING THE NON- HUMAN 02 will create a (show)case to popularize the debate on cohabitation and campaign for the inclusion of nature in our built environment, by means of architectural design.

Fifty years ago, the Central Animal Laboratories – Mäusebunker (eng: Mouse Bunker) designed by Gerd & Magdalena Hänska opened. Like a stranded (space)ship, the brutalist concrete structure soon gained fame, not only for its appearance but also for its use – one of Europe ́s biggest animal testing facilities, reflecting the common understanding at that time of human—non-human relations. The planned demolition of the building was supposed to end the unloved story, but architects and supporters joined forces and started a campaign to save the brutalist structure.

Together we will try to develop specific architectural solutions, in different scales and complexities, which will be tested and refined using the example of the Mäusebunker. At the same time, these solutions will always be evaluated for their systemic effect and viability on a larger scale. Therefore, the building will be a show-case, rather than a study case, for plausible options of multi-species cohabitation.

STATION+

s+ is an online architecture TV station, aimed at reaching a broader audience. Its main goal is to communicate architecture as a discipline that affects each and every one of us. Thus, we introduce the medium of video to overcome our current focus on the planned object, which is exclusive in its reading. With video, the ability of reading plans and models becomes secondary. It opens design to different factors such as societal and political implications. These become the stories of architecture, which is the background of our everyday life. Instead of representing, we are showing how architecture is used, both by human and non-human agents. All at once, architecture becomes an argument.

station.plus was founded in 2017 at the Institut for Design and Architecture (IEA) at the Department of Architecture (DARCH), ETH Zurich. It was initiated by Arno Brandlhuber, Olaf Grawert and Christopher Roth as a continuation of their ongoing collaboration on films, such as Legislating Architecture (2016) and The Property Drama (2017).

THEORIE UND PRAXIS
mit Christian Posthofen

Kolloquium zu erkenntnis- und handlungstheoretischen Aspekten der Systemtheorie von Niklas Luhmann und Subjektphilosopien, etwa der Urteilskraft bei Immanuel Kant.

Kolloquien zur epistemischen Grundlagenforschung von Kommunikation/Medien (Film, Fernsehen) anhand von Lektüre/Diskussion historischer und zeitgenössischer philosophischer, kulturwissenschaftlicher und soziologischer Texte.

STORYTELLING IN ARCHITECTURE
with Christopher Roth

Architecture is often communicated through precise drawings and final models, carefully designed books and curated exhibitions. However, architecture is more than an object to be mediated on — it should be told through stories that can communicate with wider publics, giving architecture the opportunity to be understood as an argumentative, discursive practice.

HOUSING THE NON-HUMAN 02 – A (SHOW)CASE

Look around you! and you will realize that the built environment has changed our ecosystem forever. Consequently, the question we have to ask ourselves today is: how can architecture actively help the environment and involve other species as equal agents? Or, how can we design and built an architecture of multi-species co-habitation? Therefore, HOUSING THE NON- HUMAN 02 will create a (show)case to popularize the debate on cohabitation and campaign for the inclusion of nature in our built environment, by means of architectural design.

Fifty years ago, the Central Animal Laboratories – Mäusebunker (eng: Mouse Bunker) designed by Gerd & Magdalena Hänska opened. Like a stranded (space)ship, the brutalist concrete structure soon gained fame, not only for its appearance but also for its use – one of Europe ́s biggest animal testing facilities, reflecting the common understanding at that time of human—non-human relations. The planned demolition of the building was supposed to end the unloved story, but architects and supporters joined forces and started a campaign to save the brutalist structure.

Together we will try to develop specific architectural solutions, in different scales and complexities, which will be tested and refined using the example of the Mäusebunker. At the same time, these solutions will always be evaluated for their systemic effect and viability on a larger scale. Therefore, the building will be a show-case, rather than a study case, for plausible options of multi-species cohabitation.

Petition for the Preservation of the “Mäusebunker” by Gerd and Magdalena Hänska and the Former Institut für Hygiene und Mikrobiologie by Fehling+Gogel

To the Governing Mayor of Berlin Michael Müller, the Senator for Culture and Europe Dr. Klaus Lederer, the Head of the Berlin Monument Authority Dr. Christoph Rauhut, as well as the executive and supervisory boards of the Charité

The Situation
We are in danger of losing two icons of Berlin architecture at once! A unique ensemble of two institutes which are part of the Charité Campus Benjamin Franklin in Berlin Steglitz is acutely threatened by demolition. They both are exceptional examples of their type of building from the Post-War Modernist period, which is currently being rediscovered nationally and internationally as an important part of our collective built heritage and has recently received more and more attention by the monuments authorities, as well. For both, regulatory announcements for removal have already been submitted. At the same time, two positive evaluations for both their eligibility to become registered as protected monuments are already existing. To prevent their loss they have to be protected as soon as possible.

We Demand
– to immediately register both buildings as protected heritage
– to stop the plans for demolition and retract the regulatory announcements for removal by the Charité

STATION+

s+ is an online architecture TV station, aimed at reaching a broader audience. Its main goal is to communicate architecture as a discipline that affects each and every one of us. Thus, we introduce the medium of video to overcome our current focus on the planned object, which is exclusive in its reading. With video, the ability of reading plans and models becomes secondary. It opens design to different factors such as societal and political implications. These become the stories of architecture, which is the background of our everyday life. Instead of representing, we are showing how architecture is used, both by human and non-human agents. All at once, architecture becomes an argument.

station.plus was founded in 2017 at the Institut for Design and Architecture (IEA) at the Department of Architecture (DARCH), ETH Zurich. It was initiated by Arno Brandlhuber, Olaf Grawert and Christopher Roth as a continuation of their ongoing collaboration on films, such as Legislating Architecture (2016) and The Property Drama (2017).

HOUSING THE NON-HUMAN 02 – A (SHOW)CASE

Look around you! and you will realize that the built environment has changed our ecosystem forever. Consequently, the question we have to ask ourselves today is: how can architecture actively help the environment and involve other species as equal agents? Or, how can we design and built an architecture of multi-species co-habitation? Therefore, HOUSING THE NON- HUMAN 02 will create a (show)case to popularize the debate on cohabitation and campaign for the inclusion of nature in our built environment, by means of architectural design.

Fifty years ago, the Central Animal Laboratories – Mäusebunker (eng: Mouse Bunker) designed by Gerd & Magdalena Hänska opened. Like a stranded (space)ship, the brutalist concrete structure soon gained fame, not only for its appearance but also for its use – one of Europe ́s biggest animal testing facilities, reflecting the common understanding at that time of human—non-human relations. The planned demolition of the building was supposed to end the unloved story, but architects and supporters joined forces and started a campaign to save the brutalist structure.

Together we will try to develop specific architectural solutions, in different scales and complexities, which will be tested and refined using the example of the Mäusebunker. At the same time, these solutions will always be evaluated for their systemic effect and viability on a larger scale. Therefore, the building will be a show-case, rather than a study case, for plausible options of multi-species cohabitation.

STATION+

s+ is an online architecture TV station, aimed at reaching a broader audience. Its main goal is to communicate architecture as a discipline that affects each and every one of us. Thus, we introduce the medium of video to overcome our current focus on the planned object, which is exclusive in its reading. With video, the ability of reading plans and models becomes secondary. It opens design to different factors such as societal and political implications. These become the stories of architecture, which is the background of our everyday life. Instead of representing, we are showing how architecture is used, both by human and non-human agents. All at once, architecture becomes an argument.

station.plus was founded in 2017 at the Institut for Design and Architecture (IEA) at the Department of Architecture (DARCH), ETH Zurich. It was initiated by Arno Brandlhuber, Olaf Grawert and Christopher Roth as a continuation of their ongoing collaboration on films, such as Legislating Architecture (2016) and The Property Drama (2017).

THEORIE UND PRAXIS
mit Christian Posthofen

Kolloquium zu erkenntnis- und handlungstheoretischen Aspekten der Systemtheorie von Niklas Luhmann und Subjektphilosopien, etwa der Urteilskraft bei Immanuel Kant.

Kolloquien zur epistemischen Grundlagenforschung von Kommunikation/Medien (Film, Fernsehen) anhand von Lektüre/Diskussion historischer und zeitgenössischer philosophischer, kulturwissenschaftlicher und soziologischer Texte.

STORYTELLING IN ARCHITECTURE
with Christopher Roth

Architecture is often communicated through precise drawings and final models, carefully designed books and curated exhibitions. However, architecture is more than an object to be mediated on — it should be told through stories that can communicate with wider publics, giving architecture the opportunity to be understood as an argumentative, discursive practice.