In this class, we aim to draw attention to the socio-environmental dimensions of urban communities in climate change. These will be explored and mapped for the neighbourhood Sprengelkiez in Berlin-Moabit. The goal is to create physical street games for people to raise awareness, spark communication and engage with issues of climate change in the city.

The rise in temperature due to global warming is confronting people around the world with difficult situations in their communities. While rising sea levels threaten coastal areas with flooding, other regions are exposed to extreme weather conditions with cloudbursts, storms or prolonged droughts. Devastating floods in the summer of 2021 showed that even regions in temperate climates, such as Germany, can be severely affected by the effects of global warming. But it is not only such dramatic events that keep drawing attention to the reality of this crisis. More quiet and steadily intensifying effects, such as heat stress for people, plants and animals, are also forcing communities to prepare for the consequences of rising temperatures. Besides adjustments in urban infrastructures, the communities themselves must also be strengthened through cultivation of informal exchanges, local communication, and support networks.

In the Climate Community Street Play class, we aim to draw attention to the socio-environmental dimensions of urban communities in climate change in two ways:

1. Identifying and mapping climate change in the Sprengelkiez neighbourhood in Berlin as an example area for a heating urban environment. The climate crisis will affect the health of all people. Those who are economically precarious, socially isolated, and physically vulnerable are often also at higher risk of being exposed to and suffering from environmental disasters. The issue of environmental justice, or here specifically climate justice, affects not only regions in the so-called Global South, but also industrialized countries and cities like Berlin.

Climate communities in our understanding encompass not only people, but also plants and animals. It has been recognized that »nature« is not something »out there«. but that the lives of people in the city are closely interwoven with ecosystems and other forms of life. This will also play an essential role in our reflections. Understanding and visualizing these spatial, social and natural relationships will comprise the first part of the course.

2. Designing formats of street play to address issues of urban climate communities, instigate possible measurements and encourage communication. Building on the research and notions of climate communities in the first part of the course, we will then work in teams on specific aspects. Inspired by traditional forms of street play, we will create physical and low-tech »climate community play stations« where people of all ages can engage with issues of urban climate warming and the relevance of social connectedness. The playful format and design will help raise awareness of the issues in surprising and non-confrontational ways, and ideally bring people together with others in the neighborhood for further activities.

Learning objectives: Research-based learning through interdisciplinary research and design methods, intercultural perspectives, process-oriented design and development of participatory formats, reflection on roles as designers in eco-social contexts.

This class is part of FHP's Int'lFlex program and will be held in English. It is lead by Prof. Myriel Milicevic and Ruttikorn Vuttikorn (Game designer from Bangkok, Thailand).

Moderate English language skills are sufficient to join!

In cooperation with Klima AG Sprengelkiez, SprengelHaus, BUND Berlin, and others.