Children’s Village – Weaving an Inclusive School Complex into an Urban Retail Fabric

My thesis project titled, “Children’s Village: Weaving an Inclusive School Complex into an Urban Retail Fabric’’, explores the transformation of Karstadt, a traditional department store in Berlin-Wedding, into a vibrant educational hub designed to foster social integration and inclusivity.

Berlin’s Wedding district is a diverse, multicultural community, yet its existing schools are often fragmented and confined. My design reimagines Karstadt as a vertical village—an innovative, inclusive space where children from different age groups can learn, play, and grow together under one roof. This complex would house three schools—primary, high school, and integrated secondary—connected by shared spaces that promote interaction and a sense of community.

Key design elements include:

• A central plaza acts as a communal hub and “village square,” providing students with spaces to meet, play, and engage in collaborative learning.

• Atriums and garden spaces, maximizing natural light and creating a welcoming environment for students of all backgrounds.

• A focus on community integration, drawing from the area’s cultural richness to build an educational setting that reflects Wedding’s unique character.

This project envisions a new purpose for underutilized urban spaces, blending education and community into Berlin’s urban fabric to build a truly inclusive, dynamic environment. Thank you to my mentors who helped bringing this vision to life!