Gemeinschaftshaus Spinelli

In summer 2016, architecture students at TU Kaiserslautern, together with refugees, built a community house that they had previously designed themselves in the regional reception center Spinelli Barracks in Mannheim. The refugees, who are condemned to a long period of passivity after their arrival in Germany, were already integrated into the planning process and had the opportunity to contribute to actively shaping their environment. The community house was intended to create a high-quality venue in the center for shared and individual uses. The design, construction, and planning and building process of the experimental wooden structure are documented in the publication, as well as the cooperation between the various public parties involved. The extremely short project period of six months and the incorporation of students and refugees in the planning and construction required a precise allocation of tasks and an efficient pooling of competences of a wide range of persons involved.