BAUGRUPPE K-01
Project Abstract
Self-built community that became its own developer.
Previous research conducted during the first semester presented the problem of a shortage
of good-quality housing. Nowadays, most housing developments are profit-oriented and often focus on short-term profits, resulting in poor quality and an abundance of new houses.
For this thesis, the author decided to deviate from the standard profit-oriented approach
in favour of future homeowners and their individual needs.
The client is a group of people who decided to pool their financial resources and efforts to
Raise a building that can accommodate all members.
The term Baugruppe comes from Berlin, Germany. The book SELF-MADE CITY BERLIN
shows examples of 125 community-led and community-funded developments.
Today, there are nearly 190.000 co op associations in the city.
According to David Thorpe, a lack of developers, marketing costs, or developer profits can allow for savings of up to 30% of development costs, making such co-housing projects a determining player in the development of the city. Joining such a group can help reduce construction costs by providing people keen to share their dream living spaces and connect them through a shared passion.
This design will be focused on hypothetical clients whose needs were randomly created to allow for finding commonalities and responding with the most suitable design in a less controlled environment.
“It can create diversity on the market, but also create the possibility to think outside the box and to say what I really want and how I want to live in our city”
SELF-MADE CITY BERLIN