KOMM’ RUM – co-creation of mobile storytelling stations
KOMM’ RUM invites everybody to come together, share stories and memories, and imagine possible new futures for the neighbourhood of the city district Johannstadt (Dresden, DE). During various building workshops residents of the quarter came together and co-created three mobile storytelling stations: a wheel of fortune turntable, airy inflatable cushions and a postcard stand. These stations are regularly in use and therefore facilitate new forms of temporary as well as long-term encounters.
Local
Germany
Dresden in Saxony (East Germany)
Mainly urban
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)
No
No
Yes
2020-08-15
As an individual in partnership with other persons
First name: Anja Lilia Last name: Cambria Oellermann Gender: Female Nationality: Germany Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Ulmenstrasse 1 Town: Hamburg Postal code: 22299 Country: Germany Direct Tel:+49 176 56579821 E-mail:hello@anjacambria.com Website:https://anjacambria.com
First name: Jana Last name: Beckmann Gender: Female Nationality: Germany Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Mokrystraße 3 Town: Hamburg Postal code: 21107 Country: Germany Direct Tel:+49 178 5235474 E-mail:hej@studio-flex.de Website:https://studio-flex.de
First name: Janna Last name: Nikoleit Gender: Female Nationality: Germany Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Memellandallee 16 Town: Hamburg Postal code: 22769 Country: Germany Direct Tel:+49 176 20237287 E-mail:hej@studio-flex.de Website:https://studio-flex.de
Due to the upcoming relocation of the socio-cultural centre »jokt« in the city district Johannstadt in Dresden (DE), the format »Plattenwechsel – Wir in Aktion« was created.
In this format the residents of Johannstadt are participating in the relocation process on various levels. As one of the kick-off projects the participatory format »KOMM’ RUM« was implemented as an independent sub-project. During the summer of 2020 the »Postcard Workshop« invited people to design their own postcards with memories and stories of Johannstadt. Furthermore three mobile storytelling stations were developed and realised together with a diverse group of residents as part of the multi-day building and creating workshop. While drawing, sawing, screwing, painting, building stools by upcycling old wood boards, reusing old parasols, printing on fabrics and sewing together, the »wheel of fortune turntable«, the inflatable airy »cushions« and the »postcard stand« were co-created.
Following this intense period of designing and constructing, the KOMM’ RUM storytelling stations are activated and inaugurated within the neighbourhood. Together with the participants and residents, the stations moved through the district for the first time on August 15 stopping at various locations and inviting the neighbourhood to »come around« (translation of the title).
KOMM’ RUM laid the foundation for the socio-cultural centre and has been in use since then to facilitate new forms of encounter and exchange by forming a living neighbourhood archive that is visible and flexible. Therefore the storytelling stations are equipped with additional documentation tools, such as a »question fan« and a recording device for interviews on the »inflatable cushions«. The board surface of the »wheel of fortune turntable« can be rewritten through different questions or phrases depending on the occasion. The letterbox adding the »postcard stand« will continuously be able to receive postcards holding memories and stories.
co-creation
building workshops
participation
sustainability
mobile storytelling stations
The project includes multiple kinds of sustainability. The first key objective can be described as social sustainability, which means that during the project inhabitants of the district were invited to come together and meet familiar and new neighbours. People who haven’t known each other before but have lived next door for years, for the first time came together at the KOMM’ RUM workshops and got to know each other by sharing experiences and building up connections which have outlasted the project. To sharpen this sense of belonging with their neighbours by encouraging to create new ideas together is one of the main aspects of the project. The storytelling stations serve as tools that can be used in the quarter far beyond the project period to connect on and adapt to different occasions. Attached to the socio-cultural centre, situated within the city district, the project increased its visibility in public space and thus received a high attraction by its residents. The second key objective is the material sustainability, which means that most of the used materials for the creation of the storytelling stations are reused. Therefore a close contact with the local »Materialvermittlung« (material mediation), a place collecting all kinds of used materials to provide them for new projects, was built up. Furthermore collecting used material in the neighbourhood and beyond that, played an important role in the implementation of the project. We experienced together the potential of reusing different kinds of materials during the creation – as well as the construction phase. KOMM’ RUM unites the two aspects in the common learning process of co-creation, whereby the learning aspect itself is an important objective of sustainability. The participants and neighbours gained new inspirations and skills during the project which enables them to use and share them in the future. This makes the project exemplary in the sense of co-creating new forms of living and learning together.
KOMM’ RUM was designed as a project of co-creation in which designing and building together were key objectives. The creation included various kinds of skills such as drawing, collaging, printing, painting and creating patterns, building with wood or metal, sawing, sewing and cooking. As the project invited people with all kinds of levels of experiences, sharing their knowledge among each other was a main aspect during the workshops. Everyone could participate with their own skills and learn from and with each other while creating the mobile storytelling stations. Therefore the design process combined different tasks reaching from handcraft building to creative-artistic activities and thus approaching a diverse group.
Different aesthetics from traditional crafts were combined with experimental and artistic methods and led to a new and unique look which has a high visibility and recognition value in terms of colours and shape. The parasols with the colourful pattern are clearly visible even from the balconies of the surrounding prefab buildings, ensuring the sense of recognition and therefore attracting residents and former participants when being in use.
The co-creation leads to a feeling of connectedness with the built and designed stations, and among that creates community spirit in between the participants. The creation process as well as the moment of moving the stations through the neighbourhood together as a group creates a sense of belonging and furthermore is characterised by positive emotions and fun. This personal connection was additionally enhanced by translations due to different spoken languages and joint lunch breaks prepared by a catering group of residents.
Our key objectives have been accessibility through low-threshold workshops that invite various age groups, people with different competences and possibilities, and create joy in shaping one's own environment.
The income of many residents in the heterogeneous neighbourhood is rather low and there is little inviting infrastructure in the district. We have taken this fact into account, and therefore one of our objectives has been to offer a free opportunity for all inhabitants in Johannstadt to take part in a fun co-creation process, and have connecting and fulfilling moments together.
Our cooperation partner, the socio-cultural centre offers various cultural programmes, which tend to be used by specific groups who are already quite active within the network. In order to address other residents and to open up the process, we pursued different approaches in the KOMM’ RUM project: The multilingual invitation flyers with colourful, explanatory drawings, were distributed to residents' mailboxes, and additionally displayed in public space. A lot of participants also just stopped by spontaneously, as most of the construction workshops took place outside during summer. As a third path people were directly invited “mouth-to-mouth”.
Another aspect has been the consideration of people with different abilities and needs. All activities were held at ground level without stairs and were accessible for people in wheelchairs. Families could participate, as the workshops have been open to children and adults. Different levels and ways of participation from taking photos, drawing, cooking or building, allowed many people with different competencies to become part of the project.
Creating something together for the neighbourhood enhances cohesion and solidarity across age, language and cultural boundaries. Despite language barriers, participants brought their own expertise and had empowering experiences. These methods for inclusion practised in KOMM’ RUM are exemplary.
The residents of the neighbourhood benefit from the project KOMM’ RUM, as it opens up new temporary spaces of encounter at various locations in public space through communicative and cosy storytelling stations. Due to the design and the different unusual approaches to create an exchange and conversation between the residents and participants, the storytelling stations create a living neighbourhood archive with a high visibility and flexibility and therefore benefiting the community.
During the workshops and the activities it was possible to share personal stories, memories and visions regarding the neighbourhood in different ways, which are considered as valuable by others. This is particularly important for people whose needs and opinions are often not the focus of attention in society. Within the project this process of sharing those memories and personal experiences with others is possible in multiple ways at the storytelling stations offering different approaches through drawing, speaking and writing. That way it is also possible to interact even in different languages. Besides personal questions some of the questions were phrased to gain input for the planning of the new socio-cultural centre. Furthermore an exhibition of this neighbourhood archive is planned for the future.
One of the main focuses of the project lies on the moment of encounter between residents in public space and by that benefitting not only the neighbourhood but especially the residents and their perception. KOMM’ RUM gives impulses at different locations in the city district to recognize the public space as a place for everybody to use and be active in, and shows the potential of this approach. The project provides space for differences and commonalities, and strengthens the sense of belonging with the neighbourhood through increasing moments of exchange on different (also non-verbal) layers.
The project sets a focus on local stakeholders to enable an intensive research and exchange within the neighbourhood and its residents and integrate these valuable inputs during the project.
The first actor to be named is the socio-cultural centre »jokt« with the program »Plattenwechsel – Wir in Aktion«. The socio-cultural centre is established, but is relocating within the district and wants to approach a wider, more diverse group of residents. This was supported and enhanced by the KOMM’ RUM project, which is integrated within the program of the »Plattenwechsel« and conceptualised, designed and organised by studio flex (Jana Beckmann & Janna Nikoleit) in cooperation with Anja Cambria Oellermann.
Secondly, in particular the inhabitants of the neighbourhood who participated, were involved in the design, building and implementation of the project, and are part of the current and future use of the storytelling stations.
On a national scale the project is funded by the »Utopolis – Soziokultur im Quartier Bundesförderung (DE)«. This includes a Germany-wide network with other socio-cultural institutions and partners that are part of the same federal funding programme, and that have heard and discussed about the KOMM’ RUM project and the methods practised.
One important knowledge field was covered by the local inhabitants, as they shared their everyday experiences from within their neighbourhood and their skills during the workshops. This was an essential part of the project.
During the conception and designing phase we have been in a close exchange with the socio-cultural centre »jokt«. They described the demographic conditions, and collected first needs from local residents and visitors at the »jokt« to integrate them into the process.
We as the designing team have various skills, professional training, and experiences from the fields spatial strategies, scenography, urban practise and graphic design. Our common interest and approach while designing KOMM’ RUM lies in the co-creation processes in public space, and the consideration of different living realities, as well as the sustainable use of resources.
During and before the building process we had contact with local experts like a carpenter, and the »Zündstoffe Materialvermittlung« (material distribution for reused materials) to develop the design based on the materials which have been available in Dresden.
Next to the practical aspects like designing, building and implementing the project, we also considered theoretical / scientific discourses regarding the rights of the city, and the development and current situation of public spaces locally as well as globally.
One part of the results are »soft transformations«, as the project focuses on strengthening and encouraging a sense of togetherness between neighbours, and a feeling of belonging to the district despite different interests and living realities.
Other results are the inputs, memories and opinions shared by people using the mobile storytelling stations. This collection of personal stories forms a permanently growing neighbourhood archive, which will be accessible during an exhibition in the future, and is considered by the socio-cultural centre for further developments in the district.
Another part of the outcomes are the building results consisting of the inviting, highly visible mobile storytelling stations, which have been created during the building workshops.
The impact of the project, especially considering the size of the built storytelling stations compared to the prefab buildings, has been positive and far-reaching for the neighbourhood. The project has created connections that have lasted beyond the workshop period and strengthened the »social fabric« between residents. The socio-cultural centre was also able to make more connections within the neighbourhood and integrate the needs of the residents into their further planning.
Other practitioners, neighbourhood initiatives and institutions could possibly be inspired by the approach of co-creating with local stakeholders. Compared to more mainstream actions in this field, the design of KOMM’ RUM was not just placed somewhere only assuming by planners or responsible decision-makers that it would fit. As a first step there was an intensive research and exchange with the local socio-cultural centre, and with residents. This outcome was considered and integrated during the conception phase of the project.
The implementation of the mobile storytelling stations are going beyond the classic “needs assessment tools”, thus mobile formats and actions for a new kind of “artistic needs assessment” were created. The participants could actively design the appearance and content of the stations and therefore shape the outcome of the process-based project. This is a key function in the social integration of different population groups, and creates the possibility to take up communicative potentials, and provide space for differences and tensions that are difficult to grasp verbally.
One aim of the project is to improve the quality of life for all groups of residents through participation, so that, for example, diversity in the neighbourhood is not seen as a threat. Cohesion in the neighbourhood can be strengthened through joint activities and participation. In our project this was practised through building, creating, meeting and talking with each other outside. The playful realisation of the artistic project KOMM’ RUM invites many people to co-create what is happening in their district, which is a highly innovative approach to the design of public spaces.
One of our main approaches is to create a (as safe as possible) space where people from different communities with different needs, abilities and possibilities are invited to co-create, come together and have various kinds of exchange despite possible differences. We are interested in the design and use of public spaces that should be there for everyone, but in reality are often unattractive and off-putting.
One of our key methodologies contains a participative building process. We invite local experts to support the project and become an active member of it. During KOMM’ RUM women from the district supported the project with their sewing skills, and others were responsible for cooking for the common lunch breaks. The existing expertise was recognised, valued and integrated into the project process. Furthermore, all participants are taken seriously as experts of their own experiences and abilities, and space is given to learning together and from each other.
Another methodology is the highly visible and in a way performative building process outside in public space. The creation process was visible even from the balconies of the surrounding prefab buildings, and attracted residents who have been curious and interested about the construction site. During the project an experimental and artistic approach led to a new and unique look of the outcome. The co-creation leads to a feeling of connectedness with the mobile storytelling stations, and creates a community spirit between the participants.
The methodology of focusing on mobile stations leads to the involvement of different population groups in several areas of the quarter. The stations can only be moved around and used with a group of people, and could strengthen the connection and feeling of belonging within the neighbourhood.
The concept of co-creating mobile storytelling stations to create temporary meeting points could be transferred and adapted to other city districts and in particular to neighbourhood centres within economically weaker areas. Due to our methodology of joining an already existing network and inviting local experts to become part of the project we gain highly valuable knowledge of the area and the needs of the inhabitants. This knowledge is key to create the further process of co-creation with a high focus on the benefits to the inhabitants and the city district.
Combining this local knowledge with the low tech approach and the idea of reusing and adapting existing materials could create similar or totally different storytelling stations while still focusing on coming together as neighbours, building and experiencing new skills together, sharing memories and new moments.
Since the modern cities were planned a sense of anonymity was accompanied by the lack of communication not only between strangers but also between neighbours. The process of co-creating within neighbourhoods works as a bottom-up tool and method to disrupt this anonymity and create a communication between inhabitants of the same city area. Thus it could reduce prejudices when approaching and including a diverse group of people and creating an easy access and inclusive experience for as many as possible. Furthermore creating and building together and with those results occupying public spaces together as a group not only activates a sense of common bond but also empowers the participants to transform their surroundings. This can only result in a more inclusive discussion on how public spaces could or should be created or transformed.
Focusing on the reusing of materials a sense of imagination on transforming or upcycling materials is being activated which might result in individual adaptations in their everyday life. Working on those challenges locally creates changes globally.
