More and more people are moving to big cities what causes an increased spatial need for living, working, shopping, education and leisure activities. The urban space is getting tighter and, for a long time, has been built for cars rather than for people. There have been rarely any tools, formats or platforms that actively include the people of a city in place making processes. With the project DREAM YOUR CITY, dan pearlman starts a format that enables a collective exchange on a city’s future by involving citizens, companies, investors, traders and residential communities in a playful way. Conceptualised as a simple and interactive format, DREAM YOUR CITY invites all people to participate in the city’s place making processes. A first pilot project was commissioned by the BID Ku’damm Tauentzien for Berlin‘s „City West“ in October 2019.
How do we realise a positive, emotional and sustainable urban transformation? How do we create a new understanding of participation? And how can participation be fun and create constructive ideas at the same time? Our answer to these questions is a participation format for urban transformation, created by and for people: DREAM YOUR CITY. The goal of the project is to start communicating about urban challenges and to set new impulses for the city and places of tomorrow. All stakeholders and interest groups are invited to dream the city in collaboration and public participation processes where we create real topics, standpoints and new favourite places in the city. We place the principles of inclusion, creativity, learning, community and playing first to tackle difficult challenges in a fun atmosphere. The format was conceptualised to be realised with different tools like a DreamLab with workshops and camps, info and activation events or urban (inter-)actions with pop-ups and public talks. For digital channels, a website-based concept was developed where people can post their dreams and wishes for the future city.
As platform for the pilot project with the BID Ku’damm Tauentzien in Berlin, the TINY HOUSE by DAN ACADEMY was chosen. The construction phase of the TINY HOUSE was set up as an event to arise curiosity for the upcoming project. In addition, printed tarpaulins were fixed to the site fence to inform about DREAM YOUR CITY. The TINY HOUSE offers space for urban interactions like workshops and short interviews. As an innovative space, the TINY HOUSE draws attention to the topics urban transformation and quality of life. For one month, the TINY HOUSE will serve as a pop-up and have different locations in Berlin’s city west. On six participation days and on 25 presence days, citizens are informed about latest projects, plans and developments and can also share their ideas and wishes for the city. Cards and feedback blocks invite everyone to participate in a playful yet anonymous way. On the participation days, topics like amenity, services in the public space, feeling of security, cleanliness, logistics & mobility as well as brand & experience are discussed. The accompanying website offers the possibility to share wishes and ideas on a blog page. Here, everybody can vote for one’s favourite idea so that one winning idea is chosen. This idea is then realised by financial means of companies or the city. Moreover, by cooperating with universities we want to develop heatmaps based on the collection of negative spaces. These heatmaps will also be transferred to augmented reality. Who cannot make it to the TINY HOUSE can also participate in an online survey to design the future of Berlin’s city west.
The collaboration between AG City and the dan pearlman experience architecture on a greenery concept has paid off as well. A comment by Gottfried Kupsch, chairman of AG City, about the greenery on the Tauentzien: “The creative conception and the selection of plants, for spring as well as summer, is a huge success. Many people make use of the centre strip, spend time there and take pictures. We did not expect the transformation to be so significant. Thank you!”