After the reunification in 1989, Berlin’s development was increasingly finding itself dealing with the impact of gentrification. Our position on gentrification is to develop an inclusive urbanity that brings vibrancy and potential to a broader spectrum of inhabitants in an attempt to create positive outcomes. We look to do this through the courtyard, one of the important typologies in the public life of Berlin.
When we think of public space, we think of words like openness, accessibility, diversity, and playfulness, however courtyards have gradually become more exclusive to some groups of people. Through our proposal, the Magical Playscape, we want to make these privatized public spaces more inclusive and more accessible. In analyzing the characteristics of other public spaces, we wanted to combine the richness that occurs in the broader landscape and bring this to the smaller scale of the courtyards. The system we developed of Courtyard – Threshold – Street focuses on imaging a new image and experiences in the courtyard and bring back the full potential of this essential element in the urban fabric of Berlin.
