The Thresholds of Urban Commons - Everyday Practice, Maintenance, Negotiation
Karla Yumari Royal (Architecture) & Lorenz Krauth (Art in Context)
Architecture & Art in Context & Visual Communication & Theater Education & Social and Business Communication
open to other degree programs at the UdK

Register by email by 18.10.2026, at k.royal_ @udk-berlin.de or l.krauth_ @udk-berlin.de.

About
How are urban commons produced through everyday practices of opening up, stewardship, and negotiation? This seminar views urban commons not as given places, but as an ongoing social practice of “commoning” (commoning). While cities worldwide are shaped by privatization, gentrification, and profit-driven urban development, urban commons give rise to alternative forms and narratives. Yet even when spaces are collectively appropriated or fought for, commons do not arise solely through their physical existence. They are created and sustainably maintained only through social relationships, collective responsibility, and practices oriented toward the common good. In this interdisciplinary seminar, we work together to develop knowledge using a variety of methods. The perspectives of participants from different academic disciplines form the basis for joint discussions and the development of our own research questions. The seminar group begins by engaging critically with several foundational texts and authors to explore the topic. A key focus of the seminar is visiting projects and engaging in dialogue with guests. The sessions are facilitated by students in small groups and prepared and followed up on collaboratively, allowing us to gain a shared insight into the day-to-day work of the people who sustain the commons on an ongoing basis. At the same time, we map and explore places and practices of commoning in Berlin. The results are presented and discussed during a group walking tour of the city. The results and processes of the seminar will be documented in a booklet. This booklet is intended to serve as the basis for a potential follow-up seminar, in which the work produced will be further developed and explored in greater depth.

Time & Dates
Mondays, 4–6:30PM., Hardenbergstraße 33, 2nd floor (room tba)

Fulfilment criteria for ungraded accreditation
contribution to the glossary
contribution to the collective map
interim presentation on a self-researched practice or site of commoning in Berlin
preparation for and follow-up on a guest lecture or visit (group work)
city walk including a route of all researched commons in Berlin

Credits
Architecture: 4 ECTS for MA Module 05, BA Module 14
IfKiK: 4 ECTS for S (Seminar)
other degree programs: 4 ECTS