InterLause is an event series which aims to provide information and discussion about urban and local policy. The programme has been running in Lausitzer Straße 10 since Summer 2017. It’s accessible to all members of the community, helping people to share experiences and ideas and providing a place for various organisations and initiatives to meet.

LauseLive! has been running since early 2018. It is a curated programme of concerts, readings, plays, and performances at Lause with well and lesser-known contemporary, classical, independent, and theatre artists. We have already made contact with artists in our Berlin network (Sophiensæle, Berlin Philharmonic) and begin exploring partnerships. In addition, we are planning a regular neighbourhood cinema. The programme will be run in a “low-threshold”, accessible way, allowing artists to try out new approaches. It should be particularly attractive to visitors who would not typically attend such events.

We plan to create a community and event space, which would provide room for our ambitious event series and which people from the local community too would be able to use for their own ideas. This will also include a community canteen with affordable and healthy food. For this, we are already currently in talks with the refugee initiative Über den Tellerrand kochen. The rent for this space would be shared by all tenants, and the canteen would be economically self-supporting.

As part of a continuous workshop programme, the members of the association (including craftspeople, artisans, artists, authors, musicians, illustrators, programmers, graphic designers, filmmakers, people working in theatre, designers, producers, photographers) and their supporters share their knowledge on a voluntary basis, both internally and for the wider community. The effects are many: community empowerment, education, initiation of collaborations, sustainable economic stabilisation, and social and cultural participation. Over 50 members from the initiative have so far agreed to run regular workshops. Because: lower rents make volunteerism possible.

We would like to introduce horizontal and vertical greening on in the courtyard on the southern side, installing (raised) horticultural beds to ensure high quality of stay for tenants and neighbours, brightening the dense building structure and closed-off areas. This would be set up, tended to and maintained by the tenant collective, with extensive involvement of the neighbourhood (workshops/continuing AGs) We would work together with successful urban gardening initiatives (e.g. Prinzessinnengärten) and specialist architects, with whom we have already agreed partnerships. Another possibility is a throughway to a neighbouring school/school garden, opening up space for cross-generational projects alongside the senior citizens’ home located opposite.

To take account of the heterogeneous financial abilities of the various tenants, the rents will be tiered on a solidarity basis. Shared space and volunteer work are thus enabled by tenants who are in financially stronger positions.

Generic Example of Solidarity Rents

Erläuterungen

• Each rental unit can voluntarily opt for a higher tier
• Only the office space is calculated, not the designated storage areas or the residential units
• The current average rent is approximately €6.50.