Living Room Shelf
An experimental self-build project on Admiralstrasse, designed to reduce rents and enable "self-build on each floor" through the extensive use of a timber construction system in a seven-storey apartment building, was completed in July 1986. It was a step towards greater self-determination for tenants in new housing construction. This led to the founding of the "Berlin Self-Build Cooperative," an association of residents (and other supporting members) that assumed the roles of "developer" and owner, facilitating self-build and self-management. Consequently, resident participation began in the planning phase, addressing both conceptual questions and everyday decisions. Self-build became the norm.
