Baugruppe is great! – invitation to the exhibition

How to live? How to build? What and how to share?

February 7 – March 20, 2015
Vernissage February 6, 2015, 7:30 PM
Kvalitář Gallery, Senovážné náměstí 17, 110 00 Prague 1
Opening hours, Mon – Sun, 10 AM – 8 PM, closed on Saturdays

BAUGRUPPE (from German "bauen" – to build, "Gruppe" – group) refers to a way of building and living based on the individual initiative of mini-builders and architects. In the process of direct agreement between the architect and the group, a residential building typically arises that is tailored to the individual needs of users as well as their shared ideas about the shared space and functions of the house.

The exhibition "Baugruppe ist super !" presents the most interesting examples of baugruppe projects from renowned Berlin architects BARarchitekten, fatkoehl Architekten, HEIDE & VON BECKERATH, ifau and Jesko Fezer, Kaden + Partner, and zanderrotharchitekten. Currently, Berlin is the European leader in the number of baugruppe projects, with over 3000 apartments and more than 200 buildings realized in the last ten years. The exhibition focuses on experimental projects that have developed new solutions and strategies in the context of rising housing costs in infill sites and for developers' difficult and seemingly uninteresting plots. This model is similarly widespread in Freiburg (1900 apartments) and Hamburg (over 1600 apartments). The "R 50 – cohousing" project was nominated for the prestigious Mies van der Rohe Award 2015.

Baugruppe projects differ from typical houses – mainly in the dialogue between the architect and the client (the group of mini-builders) during the design process. Each project is unique and reflects the dynamics and needs of the group. The initiators are either an architect or a group of builders – future users of the house who acquire a building plot. This is followed by open discussions between the architect and the baugruppe regarding the house design in joint meetings. After reaching a consensus, the residential building is constructed. Members of the baugruppe are owners of individually designed apartments. The projects are characterized by a new form of neighborhood, shared spaces such as club rooms or common terraces, and a variety of sustainable solutions. Baugruppe projects do not always have to involve new construction; conversions and renovations of already existing buildings are also common.

“Utilizing vacant building plots will support the creation of compact and efficient cities, which aligns with current urban planning goals” states architect Vladimír Fialka from the Institute of Planning and Development of the capital city of Prague. According to him, baugruppe members are often engaged individuals interested in their surroundings, which in turn creates high-quality neighborhoods and stable social environments.

The exhibition "Baugruppe ist super !" will include lectures by Berlin architects and a so-called “Baugruppen-Casting,” a workshop led by German instructors. On selected days of the week, curators and architects of the exhibition will be available to visitors for their questions and proposals and will also conduct research on the potential of baugruppe in the Czech Republic. The co-organizer of the exhibition is the Institute of Planning and Development of the capital city of Prague. The project has been supported by the Czech-German Future Fund, the Czech Architecture Foundation, the City of Prague, the Goethe-Institut in Prague, and the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic and is part of the 20th anniversary of the Partnership between the cities of Prague and Berlin in 2015.


Accompanying Program

Discussion Panel
February 6, 2015, 6 PM, Kvalitář Gallery
Guests – Verena von Beckerath (architect, Berlin), Vladimír Fialka (architect, IPR Prague), representatives of the Senate of Berlin, representatives of the City of Prague
German architects and representatives of municipal administration from Berlin and Prague will meet at a round table to discuss housing construction. Architect Verena von Beckerath will speak not only about personal experiences with baugruppe houses but also about broader issues related to current trends in housing – such as new forms of neighborhood, transformations of individual spatial needs, and the activating influence of baugruppe projects on the urban environment. The topic of discussion will be the support of innovative housing projects by the Berlin Senate. The aim of the discussion, as well as the exhibition "Baugruppe ist super!", will be to reflect on the possibilities of realizing baugruppe buildings in the Czech Republic. The panel is part of the 20th anniversary of the Partnership between the cities of Prague and Berlin.
Seats for the discussion are already filled. Interested parties can access the video recording of the discussion on www.baugruppe.cz.

Baugruppe-Casting
Kvalitář Gallery, 20 – 25 participants
Instructors – ifau (Institute for Applied Urbanism, Berlin)
A unique opportunity to realize your baugruppe! An afternoon workshop for interested participants with architects, aimed at explaining the principle of baugruppe and gaining new impulses for designing houses according to your ideas, tailored to the conditions in Prague. The instructors are ifau – Institute for Applied Urbanism, co-authors of the award-winning house "R 50 – cohousing," which is presented at the exhibition.
Date and time will be specified.

Meetings with Curators and Architects
On selected days of the week, the authors of the exhibition – curators and architects – will be present in the gallery to answer visitors' questions. Discussion topics may include living today, individuality and community, showcasing architecture, and more.

Curators of the Exhibition
Helena Doudová, Marek Kopeć

Co-organizer of the Project
Institute of Planning and Development of the capital city of Prague
Vladimír Fialka, Žofie Raimanová

Project Partners
Czech-German Future Fund, City of Prague, Goethe-Institut in Prague, Czech Architecture Foundation, Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic

Exhibition Architects
Kopeć Dušek Architects – Marek Kopeć, Ondřej Dušek

PR and Fundraising
Jana Doudová

Graphic Design
Laboratory – Petr Babák, Richard Rozhoň

Illustrations
Nikola Giancintová

More information >