Blooming Concrete: Cultivating Community
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CONTEXTThesis, M.A. Interior Architecture;
CONCEPT, DESIGN
PRIZE
EXHIBITION
︎︎︎ Burg Giebichenstein, Halle (Saale), Annual Exhibition
SPECIAL THANKS TO
Axel Müller-Schöll
PICTURES
YEAR
CONTEXT
Thesis, M.A. Interior Architecture;
Burg Giebichenstein University of Art and Design Halle
CONCEPT, DESIGN
Miriam Reihl
PRIZE
Distinction Award ‚Konrad Wachsmann Study Prize‘ by BDA (Association of German Architects)
EXHIBITION
︎︎︎ Burg Giebichenstein, Halle (Saale), Annual Exhibition
︎︎︎ Konrad-Wachsmann-Haus, Niesky, Konrad Wachsmann Study Prize
SPECIAL THANKS TO
Axel Müller-Schöll
Geschichtswerkstatt
Stadtarchiv Halle
PICTURES
Miriam Reihl
YEAR
2019
Blooming Concrete is an architectural housing and community concept addressing life in monotonous and anonymous prefabricated housing estates.
In Halle-Neustadt — once envisioned as a model city of the former German Democratic Republic — emigration and vacancy have led to decay, impersonal redevelopment, and increasing social fragmentation. This condition is reflected in the eleven-storey prefab buildings of the type IW70 P2 Ratio Halle. Originally designed for the socialist nuclear family, their rigid, functionalist layouts no longer respond to contemporary ways of living. The repetition of identical flats and structures reinforces anonymity, limiting both individual expression and opportunities for diverse communities.
The concept proposes a new residential and spatial strategy for this building typology by introducing gardening as a catalyst for social interaction, collective activity, and personal appropriation. Gardening, as a physical and sensorial practice, transcends age, background, and language. Knowledge is shared, exchanged, and built collectively. Growth becomes visible over time, and the harvest, whether vegetables or relationships, emerges from shared effort.
By selectively removing large sections of the courtain façade, the thermal boundary of the building is redefined, creating interior garden spaces. Vertical voids and openings establish new visual and spatial connections across floors. These interventions not only link the garden levels, but also the people who inhabit and cultivate them. At the same time, the reconfiguration of circulation spaces enables a wider range of apartment typologies. This makes it possible to introduce a wider range of living arrangements and with that, a more heterogeneous community of residents.
In Halle-Neustadt — once envisioned as a model city of the former German Democratic Republic — emigration and vacancy have led to decay, impersonal redevelopment, and increasing social fragmentation. This condition is reflected in the eleven-storey prefab buildings of the type IW70 P2 Ratio Halle. Originally designed for the socialist nuclear family, their rigid, functionalist layouts no longer respond to contemporary ways of living. The repetition of identical flats and structures reinforces anonymity, limiting both individual expression and opportunities for diverse communities.
The concept proposes a new residential and spatial strategy for this building typology by introducing gardening as a catalyst for social interaction, collective activity, and personal appropriation. Gardening, as a physical and sensorial practice, transcends age, background, and language. Knowledge is shared, exchanged, and built collectively. Growth becomes visible over time, and the harvest, whether vegetables or relationships, emerges from shared effort.
By selectively removing large sections of the courtain façade, the thermal boundary of the building is redefined, creating interior garden spaces. Vertical voids and openings establish new visual and spatial connections across floors. These interventions not only link the garden levels, but also the people who inhabit and cultivate them. At the same time, the reconfiguration of circulation spaces enables a wider range of apartment typologies. This makes it possible to introduce a wider range of living arrangements and with that, a more heterogeneous community of residents.
