Strategies for the socio-ecological upgrading of the Spree in the Osthafen area
The Spree harbours a unique diversity of live, yet at the same time, it is one of the most threatened ecosystems in Berlin. Systematic anthropocentric engineering in the last centuries drastically altered the physiognomy of the main waterway of Berlin. In order for the City to expand, marshy spaces were filled with sand, the river was straightened, dams and gateways locked its natural flow and channels connected it to the city. However, these development processes displaced an entire ecosystem from its original habitat. Nowadays, the Spree has become a waterway mainly serving economic interests, with its water surface being used mostly for the transportation of goods, tourism and sport activities.
The Spree and its banks are areas characterised by a diversity of—partly contradictory—interests in terms of accessibility, management and surface water uses. In order to fully develop the potential of the Spree, new uses and management models must be developed. The Osthafen is one of the areas in Berlin with the greatest potential for improvement. This work provides development strategies and targeted urban interventions that show how the Spree—in the context of Osthafen—could be more ecologically valuable and socially inclusive, for the bene t of Berlin inhabitants, humans and non humans alike.
by Jan Colomer López, Master project Product Design in cooperation with SpreeBerlin.
designtransfer Showcase, 12 October 2022 – 17 January 2023, 24/7
UdK Berlin, Einsteinufer 43, 10587 Berlin
Bilder © Jan Colomer López (3D) & Quim Amat Heinert (Rendering)
Fotos Showcase: Mario Feo
