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Collaboration. Experimentation. Exploration.

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[Deutsch]
A pop-up living lab. A gathering place. An experiment in collaboration. An ecological repair project.

Based in our neighborhood Köln-Kalk in the Pflanzstelle, a community garden, on the site of a former factory. 

The Bodenlabor [Soil Lab] Kalk provides 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 guide us in this process. 

Interested? Follow the Bodenlabor Kalk on Instagram and join the WhatsApp Group for updates.


Public Soil Work Hours

The Bodenlabor work hours are currently on hiatus. To be notified when we start to work with fungi, microbes, and plants again, please join the WhatsApp Group.
Betreten Verboden: a Workshop SeriesAugust-October 2024
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?

This summer and fall, the Bodenlabor Kalk invites 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’ll get our hands dirty and engage closely with the soil using all our senses. All workshops are free and open to the public. Please register for the workshops you are planning to attend in advance.


Previous workshops

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

About


The Bodenlabor Kalk is 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. 

Through public weekly work days, work parties, and a series of workshops led by soil experts, we will rehabilitate a plot of contaminated soil in the neighborhood, learn about soil together, and build community.

The Bodenlabor Kalk is being implemented as a part of a master’s thesis in Integrated Design Research at the KISD @ TH Köln.