Program Materials
Berlin Trip Travel and Lodging Details
Few European cities have been as impacted by the housing crisis as Berlin, a city long known for its affordability. In spite of this, its legacy as a testing ground for bold, experimental approaches to housing continues today. Projects and policy instruments. ranging from cooperative living, to proposed rent freezes, to modular infill, are attempts to confront this challenge — with both success and failure. What can NYC learn from Berlin’s “big swings” to creatively address its own housing crisis?
This 3-day program will immerse Global Fellows in Berlin’s housing market, connecting them with their Berlin counterparts to explore a range of key case studies, projects and policy shifts. The program will leverage insights from the Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development and Building (BMWSB), “Breaking Barriers to Housing for All” , a US-German peer-to-peer learning network to exchange best practices on affordable housing.
Day One (9/11): Arrival & Context Setting
Day one will orient members around Berlin’s housing history and current crisis. Fellows will visit the Berlin Senate to hear from key staff on the City’s legislative and planning agendas, and visit areas that tell the story of the city’s transformation
Day Two (9/12): Exploring Projects & Case Studies
Day two will consist of two tracks of site visits to exemplary housing projects, as well as conversations with policy experts, practitioners, and local organizers on the core thematic areas.
Day Three (9/13): Debrief & Distillation
After additional site visits in the morning, the final day will bring Fellows together with local stakeholders for an afternoon workshop to debrief, inspire exchange, and coalesce around key learning that can be brought back to NYC.
Trip Overview
Program Duration:
The Berlin study trip will commence at 9am on Wednesday, September 11th and culminate at 5pm on Friday, Sept. 13th. There will be an optional activity for those remaining in the city that evening.
Arrival Information:
Participants should book their flights through Brandenburg Berlin Airport [BER]. We will share ground transportation options closer to the program date.
Accommodations:
We recommend booking accommodations in the centrally-located district of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg. Warschauer Strasse is a central transportation hub, with a high concentration of hotels and airbnb’s in this area, ranging between $125-$275 per night. Below are a few well-located and reasonably-priced hotels in the area, but we encourage participants to do independent research and book a place that best suits one’s taste and budget.
Formerly two separate boroughs, Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg were joined in 2001. They are connected by the historic Oberbaumbrücke bridge across the river Spree, which once partitioned former East and West Berlin, with Freidrichshain lying to the East and Kreuzberg in the West. After reunification, these areas were renowned for alternative housing projects and in recent years have been a focal point in the debate around affordable housing.
Berlin Lodging Suggestions
Rooms ~$200 per night
Warschauer Str. 39-40, 10243 Berlin, Germany•+49 30 29778590
STAYERY Berlin Friedrichshain
Rooms ~$175 per night
Holteistraße 20, 10245 Berlin, Germany
numa | Sketch Rooms & Apartments
Rooms ~$125 per night
Grünberger Str. 54, 10245 Berlin, Germany
Important Program Dates
Application & Selection
Application Release May 14
Info Session June 5
Application Deadline June 21
Notification of Results July 1
Program Activities
All dates are full-day activities.
Orientation July 25 – 26
Study Trip September 11-13 [optional]
Workshop September 27
Learning Day October 25: Welcoming New Arrivals Working Group
Learning Day November 15: Deepening Affordability # 1 Working Group
Learning Day December 6: Cutting Red Tape Working Group
Learning Day January 10: Building Buy-In Working Group
Learning Day January 31: Advancing Green Solutions Working Group
Learning Day February 21: Deepening Affordability # 2 Working Group
Program Debrief & Workshop March 7
Final Event March 14
Attendance is required on all dates. Fellows may miss only two dates for successful completion of the program.
Thank you to our Founding Circle members.
