europan9_berlin | Marco Di Crescenzo

Conceptual approach
The Schöneberg quarter requires a true project on an urban scale, both for the dimensions of concerned areas and their great differences: a quality residential quarter, an out-of-use industrial area, a trade and handicraft quarter and obsolete railways concealed by self-sown vegetation.
In addition, a new urban qualification should be given to the Südkreutz station, its main place and secondary exits.
We have two main serious problems to solve with our project: first of all we have to connect the new quarters and the competition areas with the existing city through a net of streets: the connection should be both fisical and visual but it’s not a mere formal matter because it concerns the people life quality. The second problem is the green areas design which should became real collective places like parks and gardens.

The concept
Urban and architectonic projects have not only technical aspects but also important formal aspects which have to be decided according to the spirit of the city. We produced a concept of what the city should be, a visionary idea or theme: the “luftballons” are the main formal theme that joins the project areas. The gasometer is like a big basket full of big and coloured PVC balls which are filled with gas enlighted during night time. The “luftballons” are ideally spread from the gasometer landing all over the green areas: the park below (Cherusker-park), Naumanstrasse area, the station square. So, balls and circles are shooted away in the city becoming green ball-shaped areas: they can be public gardens put in the middle of big spaces like the station square, but they are also singular elements shaping the parks.