Program

How can we take action to transform our streets? Learn about #Kiezblocks and Wandering Liveable Streetspace (WLS), two hand-in-hand campaigns supported by Changing Cities e.V.

With #Kiezblocks, Changing Cities is introducing a concept to Berlin which has been quite successful in other European Cites like London, Barcelona or Gent before. The idea is as simple as compelling: ban the through-traffic from residential neighourhoods and thus make your quarter more attractive for cyclists and pedestrians - with less space for cars and more space for people.

Jakob Schwarz, #Kiezblock Agent for the district of Mitte will explain how #Kiezblocks work exactly and what you need to do in order to get one for yourself.

While there are already over 50 local #Kiezblock-initiatives in Berlin, the project WLS is still in its early stages. WLS-Co-Initiator Kai Siefke explains how it all started:

In August 2020, Katja Pfeiffer and Kai Siefke began to further develop an idea, which first came to them in 2008 and goes hand in hand with the concept of #Kiezblocks: the Wandering Livable Streetspace.

The basic idea is to remove parked cars in a street for a period of four weeks or longer and convert the street into a green space for people to meet. In doing so, we step away from always thinking of street space in the dimensions of a car. We then re-envision the street into a space that takes on a new life of its own; a space that people can design to match the needs of their everyday life.

Afterwards, the neighbourhood can decide whether they want to try to keep it as a permanent solution or revert it back into a regular street. After the four week period is up, we would then move on to the next street to give as many people as possible the opportunity to experience it. This would also allow us to understand what works in a certain space and what doesn’t before undertaking any permanent reconstruction.

At the moment, we are trying to get funding for a pilot module. A motion with a similar proposal has already been submitted to Pankow's district council. However, nothing will be decided before the elections in September.

Eventbrite Registration:
Entrance is free, but seating is limited so please register here

Jakob Schwarz Kiezblock Agent for Changing Cities

Kai Siefke primary school teacher

Being an environmental scientist in times of a collapsing planet is not easy. The planetary crisis we are facing is getting worse much faster than the normal timing of the scientific works. Our planet is already collapsing and we do not have so much time to avoid the worst scenarios and, therefore, urgent radical solutions are needed.

In this Campfire Story, environmental scientist José Luis Vicente will tell us how he sees this unprecedented crisis, what solutions are already being implemented, which of them are really working, which are just greenwashing or counterproductive, and what solutions should be implemented as soon as possible.

If you have trouble finding us, call Karen: 0176-7856-6593.

Eventbrite Registration
Entrance is free, but seating is limited so please register here

José Luis Vicente Vicente PhD Environmental Sciences, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF)

Join us for a series of short project presentations by a string of social, ecological and cultural local projects.

Each speaker will share their project’s current state, learnings, needs, resources and strategies. Following the month's focus theme, we asked them to reflect on “ecological sustainability” within their projects: Where are they at ecologically? What did they learn from the pandemic about ecological sustainability? How can we step up our ecological actions to combat climate change and accelerate positive transformation?

• Climate Farmers - Regenerative Agriculture: Going Beyond Carbon
• "Wo kommt dein Essen her?" - Was könnt ihr bei uns entdecken & wo geht die Reise hin?
• AvantGardenLife - Self-Sufficient Herbalism & Food as Medicine
• FoodSHIFT 2030 Berlin Lab - How Baumhaus is participating in an EU project for citizen driven food system change

We’ll gather in Panke Culture’s outdoor space (the same address as Baumhaus, but in the back building). The setting is open and informal (no power point). We’re looking forward to reconnecting, reflecting on and sharing our experiences and strategies after a long pause of events. If you have trouble finding us, call Karen: 0176-7856-6593.

Eventbrite Registration:
Entrance is free, but seating is limited so please register here

Anna Messerschmidt Koordinatorin Presse & Öffentlichkeitsarbeit

Fabio Volkmann Product Manager Climate Farmers

Tash Herbalist & Artist, AvantGardenLife

Karen Wohlert Co-Founder Baumhaus Berlin

We are training volunteer Citizen Scientists who are keen to learn and help.

Soil analysis is necessary to design a regenerative edible landscape. Healthy soil is the basis for a healthy community, healthy people and a healthy environment.

Everybody is welcome to join without limits of age, sex, gender, cultural background and personal choices. No prior knowledge of the subject is needed. This workshop is part of a six-month soil workshop series (read more in the about section of the Eventbrite event). Our goal is to take the number of data points on the map to 100 by August!

Open Soil Atlas is a pilot project, launched in March 2021 and organised by the Feld Food Forest community. Funded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program, it is an open-source co-learning centre for Berlin citizens.

If you have trouble finding us, call Karen: 0176-7856-6593.

Eventbrite Registration:
Entrance is free, but seating is limited so please register here

Materials
Please refer to the event description on Eventbrite for a detailed list of materials and tools that we ask participants to bring. You don’t have to bring everything, but the more we have to go around, the more tests we can do together.

Fabio Volkmann Product Manager Climate Farmers

Fenja Freiin Grote Culture and Art Studies (BA), Climate Activist

Liz Eve Communication Specialist, Photographer & Permaculture Designer

Sara Busnardo Architect (MA) & Sustainable Urban Designer