SELECTED PROJECT – BERLIN CUISINE

BERLIN CUISINE – Community cultivation and eating culture in the changing concept of
living – Ida STEFFEN, Manuel RADEMAKER, Jan SCHWARTZ et Marvin WINKENS (Berlin, Germany)

In the structure of Berlin’s residential buildings, individual kitchens account for around 15% of the space. As living space is very scarce and expensive, there is a huge potential to gain additional space. The size of each household today is around 1.5 people – downward trend – which is why talking together at the kitchen table is merely a romantic idea. To counteract this trend, it is crucial to shift the infrastructure from individual to communal spaces and thus actively counteract the issue of space and resources. When kitchens are combined and a common task is created around the daily meal, and unused space is used for self-determined food production, a new system of togetherness is also created. A gradual redistribution of the kitchens makes it possible to convert 3/4 of them into freely configurable living spaces.

The housing ideal of 1883 emphasized a museum-like living culture that removed the kitchen from its social context. The “Frankfurt kitchen” in the early 20th century symbolized rationalization and functionality, but reinforced traditional family images. The three new types of kitchens in Berlin – house, neighborhood and district kitchens – promote social interdependence and open up food preparation to the outside world, although they differ in terms of their location, opportunities for identification, economic aspects and transport routes.

The Planquadrat with Kantstraße and Karl-August-Platz in Charlottenburg is an ideal example of Berlin. The developments reflect the changing urban lifestyle by combining the traditional residential structure with new concepts of communal cultivation and eating culture. Kantstrasse 121-123, a Gründerzeit structure, has been densified over time by post-war buildings. The aim is to use the existing building fabric and increase the number of residents from the current 200 to 280. In the course of this conversion, some households are moving out or downsizing, while new residential units are being created, known as nucleus or capsules.

In nucleus living, the small cooking and sanitary core is retained, while the living spaces can be used flexibly, whether for individual or shared use. The distribution of these rooms can be reorganized every three years. This concept is well suited to post-war houses. With capsule living, which is well suited to post-war buildings, the existing rooms are converted into capsules of at least 14 m² including a washbasin and kitchenette. As only 30% of Germans cook regularly, there is no need for representative kitchens. These capsules are accessed via a new central corridor, while communal sanitary facilities are housed in poorly lit rooms.

The transformation of the urban way of life towards a communal cultivation and eating culture goes hand in hand with a comprehensive change in the concept of living, which also counteracts the housing issue. The integration of district kitchens and inner-city food production promotes ecological awareness and strengthens social ties. While traditional family images are becoming an image of the past, new types of kitchens are emerging, such as house, neighborhood and district kitchens, which offer various economic aspects and opportunities for identification.