‘Kegeln’ and ‘Chillen’ - Berlin, One Building: Different worlds.

It is wednesday evening in Berlin. Spontaneously we decide to play skittles. One of us knows a place, which is close to Potsdammerplatz in a typical seventies high-rise. Following the old signs we find our way to the basement, to the Verein Berliner Sportkegler (VBS). Stepping inside means stepping into the past. It smells so mouldy, it’s as if the air has been stored here since the seventies. The totally brown coloured interior completes the picture.

Urban Nature

On the edges of districts less defined pieces of land can be found. These terrain vagues have different characteristics in comparison to the well-designed inner-city areas. In fact, they offer opportunities for temporary use and may enrich the biodiversity of a city. The latter is the case in Tilburg. In the middle of the city there is a small area of no-man’s land. In between the railway station and a garden there is a strip of wilderness. Trees and bushes just grow wildly.

Being inside on the outside

Embrace the decay?

 
Should we cherish urban wastelands? The uncertain spaces in-between may function as a counterforce against the overdesigned inner-city areas. Embrace the decay or clean it? In Tilburg they have chosen to 'bite the beef' and clean the area.

Do-it-yourself Playground

Why shouldn't you be able to sit on this object?