Seçil Yaylalı

Quartier für Vielflieger/Nests for frequent Flyers

by Association Open Embassy (Anne Deschka & Secil Yaylali) 

2010, Berlin

wood equipments, wood, glue, paint

supported by Quartiersmanagement Zentrum Kreuzberg/Oranienstraße, Familiengarten, Gartenstudio, Kotti-shop, and FHXB Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg Museum

 

In Turkey and the neighboring countries, birdhouses enjoy a century-long tradition; over time, tiny and highly decorated houses for birds had become a typical architectural feature of the facades of public buildings in the region. Birdhouses are meant to protect birds from predators and adverse weather conditions while in the city; during winters they often shelter migratory birds, which are friendly welcomed by local people.

Quartier für Vielflieger/Nests for Frequent Flyers took place as a public participatory project in the district of Kottbusser Tor-Kreuzberg, Berlin, where many people live and share themselves experiences of arrival and departure, as well as the feeling of depending on the locals’ hospitality. Although migrants represent a wide part of the neighborhood population, they tend to live separately and gather in groups according to their nationality; newcomers frequently experience unsafety and loneliness, feeling isolated from society and other migrants as well.

The project invited local and international residents to build birdhouses that would later be installed around the district, as a symbol of care and solidarity.

In collaboration with different professionals, Anne Deschka and Secil Yaylali organized a program of several open workshops around Kreuzberg, which helped them to engage with people and involve them as participants of the project.

Afterward, a series of one-week birdhouse building labs were held by different artists at the independent art space Kotti-Shop to design, build and decorate the shelters that would later be installed on the walls of the gigantic residential block Zentrum Kreuzberg, overlooking the main square of Kottbusser Tor, and on the top of FHXB Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg Museum, the district museum.

 

Workshops program: 

origami with Yumi Tanabe (Gartenstudio, Kreuzberg)

Ornithological-artistic excursion (Kreuzberg)

ebru - Turkish aquarell with Anil Avci  (Familiengarten and Kotti-shop, Kreuzberg)

participatory drawing with Stefan Endewart and Anette Knol (Kotti-Shop, Kreuzberg)  

The other Sound Isa Andreu & Paul Paulun (Kotti-Shop, Kreuzberg)  

+ About bird houses - lecture with Gülhan Böngöl (Kotti-Shop)

 

The birdhouse building labs were held by Secil Yaylali & John Dunn, Emma Williams & Tim Greaves, and Thekla Rickert & Dagmar Lesiak.

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