Due to the upcoming move of the socio-cultural centre »jokt« in Dresden Johannstadt in 2024, the format »Plattenwechsel – Wir in Aktion« was created. In this format Johannstadt residents are participating in the relocation process on various levels. As one of the kick-off projects the participatory format »KOMM’ RUM« was implemented. During the summer of 2020 the »Postcard Workshop« invited people to design their own postcards with memories and stories of Johannstadt. Furthermore three mobile storytelling stations were developed and realized together with residents as part of the multi-day building and sewing workshop. While drawing, sawing, screwing, painting, building stools, reusing old parasols, printing on fabrics and sewing together the »wheel of fortune turntable«, the inflatable airy »cushions« and the »postcard stand« were created.
Following an intense period of designing and constructing the KOMM’ RUM storytelling stations are activated and inaugurated. Together with the participants and residents, the stations moved through the district for the first time on August 15 stopping at various locations. KOMM’ RUM lay the foundation for the Johannstädter Kulturtreff to facilitate new forms of encounter and exchange in the future by forming a living neighbourhood archive that is visible and flexible. The storytelling stations are equipped with additional »documentation tools«, such as the question fan and a recording device. The board surface of the Wheel of Fortune table can be rewritten through different questions or phrases depending on the occasion as well as the letterbox, which will continuously be able to receive postcards holding memories and stories.
One of the most important aspects of KOMM’ RUM is that different inhabitants of the quarter came together to create the mobile storytelling elements. People who are neighbors but didn’t know each other before met during the project, and shared their experiences, learned new (handcraft) skills, and had a good time together thus speaking different languages. On top of that, a huge part of the used materials have been reused to operate as climate-neutrally as possible.
For the sociocultural center the project has a huge impact, because they can open up and move into the quarter, so they can go into an exchange with people they normally can’t reach.
Other practitioners could possibly be inspired by the (building) process which has been created, for example with the printed patterns on the new parasol fabrics. Also the inviting design and the methodology / creation of moments of participation, building local »social fabrics«, and identification with the objects are valuable for others.
one of the stations includes huge pillows filled with air to sit on, move around, attach to each other to create communcativ islands on unusual locations
Inviting questions are placed to start an exchange about daily life, personal experiences, and also ideas for the socia cultural center and the neighbourhood
impression of one of the building workshops – individual patterns are created by the local participants. The next step was to sew the fabrics for the sunshades. The pattern are inspired by the surrounding prefab buildings.
one of the finished parasols in the newly designed
On the way through the neighbourhood
This project was a collaboration with the spatial strategist Anja Cambria Oellermann and comissioned by the socio-cultural centre »Johannstädter Kulturtreff / jokt«, in person Meike Weid. KOMM’ RUM was created as part of the format »Plattenwechsel – Wir in Aktion«.
During the building workshops delicious lunch was prepared from the intercultural Café Halva.
Reused materials for the building workshops were collected from the fantastic Zündstoffe Materialvermittlung Dresden.
project library of the future, Hamburg (GER)
Project KOM:teppe, Oslo architecture triennale 2019 (NOR)