Abstract:

Our design visualizes a response to ecological crises, illustrated by the

Anthropocene dependencies between Lusatian coal mining and Berlin's water

supply. It reclaims these challenges as opportunities for a transition toward a more

balanced coexistence of human and non-human actors. In this vision, the definition

of value shifts from economic logic toward an awareness of social and ecological

resources.

The district functions as a metabolic organism with cycles permeating every

dimension of space. The central symbol of this collectivity is the Wetness Forum,

where water is conceived holistically in all its states and wastewater treatment

becomes a visible, public act, acknowledging water as an autonomous actor. This

ethics of care extends to the Fab Laband Material Depot, where repair and

knowledge exchange form a tangible circular economy.

The district is embedded within vibrant ecosystems: the Plänterwald and the Spree

floodplain evolve into biodiverse habitats. Supported by the Forest University, the

Plänterwald is transformed into a resilient oak-hornbeam forest following the cycle-

mosaic concept. Architecturally, we act with material sensitivity: power plant relics

remain as silent witnesses and interventions are minimized.

Collective organization is negotiated in the District Parliament. Guided by a positive

unsealing balance, planning is not executed as a fixed ideal but as a responsive

framework for the radical coexistence of human and non-human actors.