The project examines the situation of refugees after their arrival in Germany and asks how they find a new place to live and what role design plays in this.

Four refugees from Afghanistan, Syria and Iran dare to compare the home they left behind in their country of origin with their current living situation in Cologne. Accompanied by Simon Meienberg and Heribert Weegen, they visualize their different living environments during a meeting that lasted several weeks. In a creative dialog, they turn their gaze to their home in their homeland. How did they live there, and which memories and images are particularly present? In contrast, they look at their current accommodation. The project addresses the question of what design freedom the new living situations offer and what restrictions are inscribed in the functional architectures. How can the new accommodation be brought closer to the needs and wishes of their inhabitants through their own design interventions?

Professors
Prof. Dr. Carolin Höfler

Participants
Simon Meienberg

Project Partners
Heribert Weegen, Architect; ArtAsyl e.V.,Cologne; JACK IN THE BOX e.V., Cologne and the Research Cluster »Echtzeitstadt | Real-Time City« at TH Köln

Funded by
ArtAsyl e.V. and JACK IN THE BOX e.V., Cologne

Duration
Oktober 2018 – April 2019

Activities
Exhibition »Making Home« on the occasion of the Design Festival PASSAGEN 2019

Bild: Exhibition view »Making Home« in artrmx, Cologne by Simon Meienberg