In Germany, the average living space per person has increased from 16 m² in 1950 to 47 m² in 2015. It is plausible that during this period, the relationship between body and space has changed profoundly. Not only do we have more square meters at our disposal, but patterns of living together have also shifted: we now find ourselves more often alone, in a private room. This workshop critically questions these changes: how much space do we actually need? Is bigger always better?
During the one-week Detmolder Räume workshop, the relationships between body and space will be investigated at a 1:1 scale. When does an envelope become architecture? How do the size and proportions of a space, its materiality, and its light affect our feelings and emotions? And can I, starting from feelings, memories, and emotions, create spaces myself?
For this purpose, the vacant Modehaus Finke will be reimagined as a series of personal living spaces. At full scale (1:1), participants will experiment with simulations and provisional spatial divisions. These experiments will then be translated into a working model at a 1:20 scale.
The divisions will be carried further and further, pushed to the extreme. The spaces will become smaller, perhaps requiring more frequent sharing with others. Complexity will increase, and throughout the process, the quality of the spaces will need to be critically reconsidered, again and again.
w/ michel melenhorst
