Urbane Agrikultur in Köln-Ehrenfeld (2010-3)
In Urban Agri-Culture, we explored the potential of urban agriculture practice as key constituent of a comprehensive design approach for urban regeneration in Ehrenfeld, a post-industrial housing quarter in Cologne, Germany. The complex arts-based project was one of four distinct strands within the Design Quartier Ehrenfeld (DQE) initiative, developed by Cologne-based curator Sabine Voggenreiter.
We were invited into the project as expert consultants tasked with contributing to its conceptual development, design and practical implementation for the duration of DQE (2010–12) and its continuation project (2013).
We were invited into the project as expert consultants tasked with contributing to its conceptual development, design and practical implementation for the duration of DQE (2010–12) and its continuation project (2013).
The final Opportunity Map produced with residents records local food production and potentials for productive urban landscape. (image: B&V and Nishat Awan, FG Stadt & Ernährung TU Berlin)
With Cologne-based landscape architect Dirk Melzer, Katrin ran three participatory, week-long, consecutive workshops (2010, 2011, 2012) with local stakeholders. These comprised site visits, Inventories of Urban Capacity (following our CPUL City Actions), mappings, case study research, group discussions, proposal formulation, planting, joint cooking and eating and public presentations.
The main results of the participatory design process — a communal orchard, the co-development of a ‘green' space network for Ehrenfeld, a vineyard and the productive urban landscape proposal LowLine — were implemented during the project’s duration and/or influenced the future direction of the DQE project.
The main results of the participatory design process — a communal orchard, the co-development of a ‘green' space network for Ehrenfeld, a vineyard and the productive urban landscape proposal LowLine — were implemented during the project’s duration and/or influenced the future direction of the DQE project.
Capturing the participatory process leading to the formulation of 3 actual projects as well as an overall site strategy (image: B&V and Nishat Awan, FG Stadt & Ernährung TU Berlin)
In 2010 and as part of Cologne's architecture biennale plan10, Katrin, with Dirk Melzer, also designed and ran the participatory exhibition Ehrenfeld, was isst du? [Ehrenfeld, what do you eat?] acting as a kick-off of the project and aiming to raise awareness of the area’s food production.
Layout and function of the exhibition on productive urban landscapes for Köln-Ehrenfeld (image: B&V and Nishat Awan, FG Stadt & Ernährung TU Berlin)
URBANE AGRIKULTUR IN KÖLN-EHRENFELD
location: Köln [Cologne], Germany
dates: 2010 — 2013
client: Design Quartier Ehrenfeld (c/o Sabine Voggenreiter)
funding: European Regional Development Fund / City of Cologne / Ministry for economic affairs, innovation, digitalisation and energy of Northrhine-Westphalia
B&V team: Katrin Bohn
collaborators: Dirk Melzer Landschaftsarchitekt & Umweltingenieur, Köln, Germany / Nishat Awan, FG Stadt & Ernährung TU Berlin, Germany
supporters: local residents / staff at DQE
links: the project's own website within the DQE project
location: Köln [Cologne], Germany
dates: 2010 — 2013
client: Design Quartier Ehrenfeld (c/o Sabine Voggenreiter)
funding: European Regional Development Fund / City of Cologne / Ministry for economic affairs, innovation, digitalisation and energy of Northrhine-Westphalia
B&V team: Katrin Bohn
collaborators: Dirk Melzer Landschaftsarchitekt & Umweltingenieur, Köln, Germany / Nishat Awan, FG Stadt & Ernährung TU Berlin, Germany
supporters: local residents / staff at DQE
links: the project's own website within the DQE project