Award category
Prioritising the places and people that need it the most
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NEW EUROPEAN BAUHAUS RISING STARS: concepts or ideas submitted by young talents (aged 30 or less)
Project title
Hidden Figures
Description
Berlin is a city of many modern influences, experimenting with different identities between the young and old, the rich and the poor, the citizens and the refugees. Our project aims at the outsiders of our communities: the hidden figures. Its modular infrastructure, made of recycled components, brings back the lost potential of urban voids. It reaches to different layers of the society through inclusive activities like startups, professional formations and local organic production.
What is the geographical scope of your concept/idea?
Cross-border/international
Germany
Does your concept/idea address mainly urban or rural issues?
Does your concept/idea refer to a physical transformation of the built environment or other types of transformations?
It refers to other types of transformations ('soft investment')
Has your concept/idea benefited from EU programmes and/or funds?
Has your concept/idea won an EU prize?
How did you hear about the New European Bauhaus Prizes ?
On whose behalf are you submitting the application?
Please provide a summary of your concept/ idea
Berlin is a city of many modern influences, experimenting with different identities between the young and old, the rich and the poor, the citizens and the refugees, etc. Our project aims at the outsiders of our communities, the hidden figures.
Undeniably, parking spaces punctuate the urban fabric with voids that does not add to the quality of life of the residents. In the historical quarter of Hackescher Markt, they are mostly left empty. Our project, Hidden Figures, brings back the lost potential of those spaces. It aims to reach different layers of the society: freelancers, expatriates, refugees, and homeless. Startups, professional formations and local organic production activate the unused space.
Hidden Figures serves two strong cultural elements: Pink and blue city water pipes and the strandkorb is a piece of outdoor furniture used on the seaside.
Each cabin is multifunctional, according to three fundamental human needs: resting, working and eating. Therefore, two typologies of fixed dimensions are proposed to adapt to the space needed.
The first phase consists of the bare structure that can be used as a playground or support for any city events. In the second phase, a light basket structure can be added or removed by the users to the arches. The basket structure and the thermoplastic pipes are supporting each other. Thus, the system is highly flexible and adaptable to various configurations. It can be applied to any urban void to be closer in the radius of the community.
Please indicate the main themes of your concept/idea with 5 key words
urban acupunture
social architecture
circular economy
regenerative design
public space
Please give information about the key objectives of your concept/idea in terms of environmental sustainability (including circularity) and how these would be met.
Please highlight how the concept/idea can be exemplary in this context
The project is a light infrastructure using recycled and organic materials that can be found on construction sites around the city or in recycling centers for example. The discarded steel pipes is then reshaped to create the arches holding the cabins. These cabins are made of recycled organic textiles transformed into baskets. This creates a circular process of materials from their end-of-life cycle to another use.
Please give information about the key objectives of your concept/idea in terms of aesthetics and quality of experience beyond functionality and how these would be met.
Please highlight how the concept/idea can be exemplary in this context
Hidden Figures serves two strong cultural German elements: the Pink and blue city water pipes and the strandkorb is a piece of outdoor furniture used on the seaside. These two symbolic components are reflected into the form of the arches, the modules as well as the materiality. As the sourcing of the elements are local, this infrastructure expresses a renewal and rebirth of the city's raw materials. The steel holding its buildings' structures throughout its lifespan is re-woven into the social fabric of the local community. Therefore, the shapes, colors and textures speak to the users about the city of Berlin, its traditions and many identities.
Please give information about the key objectives of your concept/idea in terms of inclusion (equal opportunities, public participation, citizen engagement, co-design, universal design, accessibility, affordability, etc.) and how these would be met.
Please highlight how the concept/idea can be exemplary in this context
Although the context of the project is in Berlin, the system can be reused in many different cities facing the same issues of disused spaces. Local materials can be transformed into the simple elements of arches and cabins. This allow a low-cost structure with a highly positive impact on the local communities. It aims to reach different layers of the society: freelancers, expatriates, refugees, and homeless. Startups, professional formations and local organic production activate the unused space. Giving the space for the communities in need to elevate themselves is the primary purpose of Hidden Figures. Revealing the skills of these people is to give them a chance to be active in the society again either economically, academically or socially.
Please explain how these three dimensions would be combined in your concept/idea.
Please highlight how this approach can be exemplary
Hidden Figures is made by the local communities from the context's resources. It is a system that takes what is seen as unwanted from the society and transform it into valuable richness.
Please highlight the innovative character of the concept/idea as compared to mainstream practices in the field of the concept/idea.
Please detail the general plans that you have for the further development, promotion and/or implementation of your concept/idea.
Imagine that your idea/concept is awarded in the New European Bauhaus Prizes 2022. What kind of initiatives would you take throughout the following year (June 2022- June 2023)
@Sánchez Salazar Francisco, 2022
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By submitting your application, you understand that all the applications that meet the eligibility requirements will be shared for the purposes of the selection processes, and notably published on the secured platform https://prizes.new-european-bauhaus.eu/ and for the purposes of the promotion of these on the New European Bauhaus website and/or other European Commission communication channels. In this sense, the applications would be widely available. Applicants should ensure that they present their ideas, concepts, projects, in such a way that they could be shared without giving rise to intellectual property related concerns. If your submission is selected as one of the finalists, it will additionally be shared for the purpose of the public vote that will take place. The European Union is granted a licence to use and share your application with the general public and the official external experts for the purposes of the selection process, including the voting. The European Union has the right to use the images and visual materials and the description provided in the application for communication purposes related to the contest and beyond. Rights granted comprise the right to store, reproduce, display, publish and communicate or distribute copies in electronic or digital format, including, but not only, through the internet. Unless you have disclosed your name, the European Commission has no obligation to share your name when using or disseminating your contribution to the public. The European Union cannot be held responsible in case any submitted idea, project, concept is found to infringe third parties rights. The European Union shall be neither responsible for the use that third parties may do of the applications or related content.
