Final Countdown: Transformation of a City Block

illustrarch Team3 December 20211 Mins read246

Final Countdown: Transformation of a City Block

Malak ElGarawany + Mohamed Ghoneim

Maxvorstadt, Munich, Germany

2020

@mgarawani + @mohghoneim

We are already in the middle of the climate crisis. Science gives us ten years to stop it from escalating completely. But why is nothing happening? Can we provoke the transformation? And what role can architecture play in this? The place of intervention is the city block between Tuerken-, Schelling-, Amalien- and Theresien street. The block has internal development potential due to the foreseeable shutdown of the thermal power station but is located like the whole  of Maxvorstadt in a gentrification process. A new way of living together must be made.

The task is to find out how a cooperative project could transform this block and introduce a new way of living together during and after the crisis. We will give concrete thought to what everyday life will look like after the “Great Transformation” and what spatial and design characteristics will shape it.

For us, vertical farming is a potential solution to a more sustainable and self-sufficient future. Since agriculture is badly damaged nowadays we see great potential for improvement. In addition, more and more people are moving from the countryside to cities. Due to demographic change and the climate crisis, the fertile land is no longer enough for our demand. This is exactly where our concept comes into play. We are transforming the basement and underground car parks, where potential is not sufficiently exploited, into areas for vertical farming. This concept can already be implemented in every basement.

In our design, the basement of plot 10 (Tuerkenstrasse 58,60), which previously served as an underground car park and commercial space, is being transformed into a vertical farming area, a passage, and a lounge area. In this way, not only is the community-supported but the planted areas guarantee a safe, sustainable source of food.