Date: Friday, April 12, 7-10pm
Location: Oranienstraße 1, 10999 Berlin

In Berlin there is a significant divide between housing policy and the needs of the population.The interests of the real estate lobby often dominate the planning and implementation of construction projects, which has led to misguided urban development for decades. Fallow and open spaces in urban areas are extremely valuable resources in Berlin. However, given the current severe pressure on housing and commercial areas, we should recognize their importance and opportunities. BETON Berlin has already dealt with these areas several times, as they were and still are open spaces and important experimental fields for creative people in the context of the urban transformation processes after the Second World War and reunification.
Instead of leaving them undeveloped or building over them, they should be used as valuable potential for urban sustainability and quality of life and should definitely enable the neighborhood to participate in the design processes. It’s time to look at brownfield and open spaces as opportunities and not as vacancies. 
For BETON Berlin 17, Julie Chovin will look at an open space that is referred to as a « jewel » in real estate jargon. The future use of these and the architecture are the focus of her artistic work. Chovin examines « sterile new building architectures », breaks through their sterility and allows them to disappear again in the process. She presents her appropriation of the “jewel” and critical reflection on planned architecture subtly and delicately, making the unimaginable temporarily perceivable.

Ora1, 50x50x70 cm, paper, wood, natural colors (beetroot, red cabbage, curcuma), Indian ink, milk, glue, wood, staples, 2024.

12.04.2024

16.04.2024