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Ideal Public Space – Graphic Interventions to resist the Commodification of Public Space in Berlin

Truly public, non-branded spaces are gradually disappearing from the cityscape. 'Ideal Public Space' addresses the commodification of public space in Berlin and explores how graphic interventions can serve as a tool of resistance – meant to both comment on the issue and make people interact with objects placed in public space.

The project began with a single question posed to the city: What does the ideal public space look like to you? Distributed through four Berlin subreddits and 42 posters in public spaces and bars, the survey gathered 448 responses, revealing three recurring demands: inclusiveness, accessibility, and management. These voices were then returned to the streets through four interventions: a poster series placing selected responses back onto billboards; UV-sprayed messages revealing themselves only under blacklight at night; and a ten-day community collage at Stuttgarter Platz, co-authored by passers-by. 

Finally, all 448 responses – each printed as an individual letter – were mailed to the Senatsverwaltung für Stadtentwicklung, forwarding the citizens' visions directly to Berlin's urban planning decision-makers.

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