Spreestudios commercial group: New model for creating “space for freethinkers”

The history of this place is extremely unusual and new for most who hear about it: On the site with the current address “Zur Alten Flussbadeanstalt 1”, right by the water on Rummelsburg Bay in the district of Lichtenberg, the largest river bathing establishment in the city (“Städtisches Flussbad Lichtenberg”) was still in operation a little less than 100 years ago. The outdoor pool was set up in the 1920s and quickly became very popular. Almost half a million people are said to have spent their free time here in one season. After it was closed in 1944 due to the war and then reopened once again, partially destroyed, the bath finally became part of the GDR customs service towards the end of the 1950s; the site and all buildings were now used to accommodate and maintain official vehicles; until the fall of the Wall, it became quiet here. Following a Europe-wide tender and the sale of the site in 2011 to developer Christian Rosche, initiator of Spreestudios GmbH & Co. KG, this place can write a new story and become “space for free thinkers.” To a living and working environment that is only possible through a community-loving community... to stay, focus, weigh up, think radically, design, connect, have conversations, breathe a sigh of relief, relax, linger, toast, come and go, come and go again.

The idea:

Partners who share the enthusiasm for this extraordinary and still “raw” place agree to develop a space of opportunity here in an unconventional way and to design the entire area together — as a commercial group and an innovative community of locations.

The project:

The former garages ranging in size from 70 to 250 m² are being converted into studios and working environments for creative people, freethinkers and freelancers. Various workshop, office, commercial and temporary residence concepts are being implemented. Characteristic elements from river bathing times — such as the old jumping tower on the jetty — are being reactivated and reinterpreted.

The process model:

Until the building permit is issued, the project is being developed by Spreestudios GmbH & Co. KG, and in parallel, a building association is being set up, which undertakes to build the property together on the basis of the building permit. Once the building permit is approved, the individual building blanks are sold to the partners. The developer retains at least one unit and becomes managing director of the building association.

“The advantage of this development model is clearly that the creative potential of an assembly consisting of freethinkers can be combined to develop an unusual location of this quality. And subsequently, as a result of the development process up to the building permit, possible decision blocks within the building community are ruled out. ”

The interior of the individual buildings is completed as a blank. The development of an expansion variant is then the responsibility of the respective participants in the assembly and can, but does not have to, be built; a decision is made in line with the ideas of the user group, which, for example, strives for a high-quality and uniform appearance in the public eye, but wants to use the options of free design on the inside. The sale of the units with a clear definition of construction requirements — regarding building permit and building description — as well as the role of the developer as managing director, ensures that the assembly cannot block itself in later phases due to the lack of necessary decisions. In the event of differing opinions regarding changes, the originally agreed construction plan will be met. Ideally, potential module participants are therefore integrated in the early planning phase with regard to feedback and optimization of the product. For example, the master plan for the Spree studios with the conversion of the existing garages into studios and the construction of cubes for temporary living was consistently developed together as part of workshops.

“Working and thinking here is like tearing open all the windows in the house, like blowing air! You come up with ideas for which there would otherwise have been no room. ”

The ownership of the commercial group consistently creates a different approach to the location and the project than would be the case with a pure tenant. The training and maintenance of joint energy — both for individual projects and for the entire project — is the innovative element of this type of local community. At the same time, the added value for developers also lies in reduced capital requirements and controlled development risk compared to the classic property developer model. However, the success of this process model will always depend on interoperable exchange, as the entire process of development and implementation is characterized by a very high need for communication. It is always necessary to be willing to have a feel for the wishes, including the sensitivities, of one's own group, to remain interested and always in dialogue.