Based in our neighborhood Köln-Kalk in the Pflanzstelle, a community garden, on the site of a former factory.
From June 2024 to Juli 2025, the Bodenlabor [Soil Lab] Kalk provided a space for Kalk residents to heal a small plot of land, starting from the basis of the ecosystem: the soil. Free workshops, talks, and work days led us through process.
For more information, please contact Lucy Allen at lucyrmallen[at]gmail.com.
In the Pflanzstelle, Neuerburgstr. 19 51103 Köln
Free
Who decides what’s in the soil under our neighborhood? Who has to live with the toxicity? And how do we take care of it?
In summer and fall of 2024, the Bodenlabor Kalk invited Cologne residents of all ages–especially residents of Kalk–to learn about the soil under our feet in Kalk from the perspectives of gardeners, scientists, and artists. We got our hands dirty and engaged closely with the soil using all our senses. All workshops were free and open to the public.
S(p)oiled Art - A Poetry and Material Crafting Workshop → October 26, 12pm
Led by Tanya Gautam and Carmen Armenteros Puchades English language, Spanish also possible
Organoleptic Soil Journey → September 21 , 1pm
For ages 11 and up
Led by Diego GardonGerman language, Spanish also possible
Shedding Skins→ September 18, 5:30pm
For ages 12 and up
Led by Maiella Di Donato and Andrea Righetto
German and/or English depending on participants
Hot Composting→ August 24, 10am
For ages 11 and up
Led by Omer LeviGerman or English depending on participants
Discover the World of Soil Organisms!→ August 17, 2pm
For adults and children ages 5 and up with supervision
Led by Anna Kolossova and Omer LeviGerman language, English also possible
The Bodenlabor Kalk (2024-2025) was an open, collaborative living lab bringing together residents of Köln-Kalk to care for neglected soil at a former factory and learn about soil ecosystems.
The Bodenlabor hosted public weekly work days, work parties, and a series of workshops led by soil experts, where the community could gather to learn about soil. Meanwhile, we worked towards rehabilitating a plot of contaminated soil in the neighborhood.
The Bodenlabor Kalk was implemented as a part of a master’s thesis in Integrated Design Research at the KISD @ TH Köln.