imagine the following: The streets are lined with couches, kids playing on the Asphalt, next to a Grill. Intimacy and gourmet treats for the people sitting on the curb, while a few meters dance again neighbors – in the middle of the road. So it might look like: no cars, no parked way, a city for the people. What sounds like utopia to 2020 in three Neighborhoods in Mitte, Lichtenberg and Neukölln with the “day of the good life” a reality.
The concept for the day comes from the social scientists Davide Brocchi. The rules are simple: The cars must go. It can’t be sold or bought, only to share and give is allowed. The residents make their neighborhood on the day itself, must deny, however. The acquired rights are associated with duties. “The citizens should not only consume policy, but by the object of the policy to the subject,” said Brocchi.
In Cologne, Germany, where he has developed the concept of the day since 2013 on a Sunday in the year, each in a quarter. At the Premiere in Berlin is being worked on at the Moment. Since the day is to be borne by the residents, is a close cooperation and networking in the Neighborhoods is necessary. That Berlin, unlike in Cologne, where only a quarter is celebrating the day, with three Quarters start, to the difference in size of the two cities.
cars, no sales, only giving is allowed
“Berlin and its districts operate differently than Cologne. You have to work in Berlin with several Neighborhoods to reach the entire city,“ said Brocchi. It was important to him that there are in the areas of a certain degree of social heterogeneity, moreover, at least a neighborhood should be in the Eastern part of the city. Through discussions with politicians and representatives of different organisations, the choice finally fell on the Körnerkiez in Neukölln, the Brussels neighbourhood in the middle of the Victorian town of Lichtenberg. Since last autumn, with discussions with the residents are held here.
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order a car-free city – the idea is not new, but in the extent to which Brocchi is going to have, very remarkable. Last December, the Alliance city is released for people a part of the Frederick road for two hours from the car traffic and at the “shopping center” redesigned. From the day of the good life is delighted with the city for the people. “We find that the concept is great,” says Alliance spokesman Matthias Dittmer. Even if it was more complex than the “shopping center”, see Dittmer has good chances for implementation.
the pedestrian club foot welcomed the idea. He is one of the 42 organizations in Berlin, in support of the day. There is, however, from my own experience of the conflict potential of such an action-aware. Motorists could drive blocked roads and the elimination of Parking on the barricades. To the above, it is Brocchi’s important to get all the residents in the neighbourhoods and to create offers.
For the cars in the neighborhood should be organized replacement Parking spaces in shopping malls, super markets and schools, which will remain on Sundays anyway unused. Car owners should be notified four weeks in advance where your car is. For people who are in urgent need of a vehicle, is to be organized a service of volunteers from the neighborhood. The cordons of the roads should be made in consultation and with the support of the relevant district offices.
From Lichtenberg and Neukölln there are already positive signals
so Far, the district offices are notified, but not yet in the planning involved. Similarly, at the country level. It should come to the blocking of the neighborhoods for the traffic, it must be with the Senate Department for transport and the environment agreed.
“It would have to be tested, where the flowing traffic is redirected, and whether this is easily possible,” said Senate speaker Derk Ehlert. What happens with the rest of traffic, on the other hand is entirely a matter for the districts. In Lichtenberg and Neukölln there are already positive signals from the district level.
In the middle of the district office, however, cautious. As long as the leadership of the project was not clear – so there is a Central person or Institution – it is not possible to comment further. In all, however, agreed that The residents of the neighborhoods want to the day, otherwise nothing will happen.
So that they are in line with Brocchi. Since the first citizens ‘ events in the past year, the interest growing more and more, he says. In the coming months targeted Meetings in different institutions, such as mosques and schools should be held to reach as many local residents groups.
to facilitate the organization and to give the day a vote will be held on 27. February in the house of democracy, an Alliance made up of representatives from the neighborhoods, and the supporters organisations established that the screen takes over the reign for the day. With the Alliance in the back, then proceed the planning of the Tags. Finally, the day should be passed – he should be in the coming years by the citizens themselves to continue every year in other Neighborhoods.
in other districts, there is interest on the day of the good life. The aldermen from the borough of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf and Pankow welcome the Initiative for a reduction of Car-traffic in residential areas, specifically, and find the concept interesting. In Pankow there are already plans on the 16. June block of the schönhauser Allee for the car traffic.
Florian Schmidt, District city Council in Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, and would even like to go a step further: “The individual motorized traffic should be from residential areas banned.” The day may not reach, perhaps, but he will give you an idea of how such a life might feel like.
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car-free Zone in Berlin, Just a pedestrian in the Friedrichstraße
Andreas Conrad Jörn Hasselmann
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