Iris van der Moolen
Architecture and Public Building
MediaHeim Berlin: A contemporary mediatheque and community Lounge in the gentrifying district of Friedrichshain, Berlin
Friedrichshain, a gentrifying neighbourhood, faces challenges for low-income and elderly residents with limited options for recreation and socialising. To address this, the design of a public condenser will serve as a new heart between existing and upcoming areas, promoting inclusivity and diversity.
The central feature of the condenser is a library catering to diverse generations' recreational and intellectual needs. The library will expand its social functions to reinforce cultural exchange and collective security. By incorporating various media forms and activating both brain hemispheres through extra functions, the library anticipates future challenges and promotes lifelong learning.
The building's guiding routing system ensures accessibility and inclusivity, extending the concept of a public street. The transformed library space provides informal areas for individual and collective activities, fostering community engagement.
The public condenser project aspires to create a vibrant and inclusive hub that embraces Friedrichshain's diversity while addressing the effects of gentrification on its residents.