A notable example is the Spreefeld project in Berlin, initiated by a collective that secured a loan and negotiated with the municipality to purchase a site. The development comprises three new housing blocks, including private apartments and a few cluster flats, where residents have individual rooms with a bathroom and kitchenette while sharing a larger kitchen and living area. Built with on-site energy systems—a cogeneration unit, heat pumps, and photovoltaic panels—the project also offers extensive shared facilities: a communal garden, a sauna heated by residual energy, a woodworking workshop, community rooms (regularly rented for public activities), bicycle parking, and a shipyard connected to the river. In the cooperative, rents and income from the common rooms repay the loan, ensuring stable rents. What began as a grassroots initiative grew into a partnership with the city and financial institutions, demonstrating how public–private cooperation can transform community visions into stable, affordable housing.
architecture: Carpaneto Architekten + Fatkoehl Architekten + BARarchitekten
photo: Klateřina Krebsová
Community-initiated projects take various forms. Mehr als Wohnen in Zurich, for example, is a cooperative of over 1,200 residents, supported by municipal land and financing, and operating at a metropolitan scale. Estonia, meanwhile, is known for its tenant organizations, which manage most privately owned apartment buildings. Backed by state renovation grants and loan guarantees, these organizations focus on collective upkeep and energy efficiency, achieving average savings of up to 40 % in many renovated buildings.
Spatial Planning and Affordable Housing Policy Specialist, Ministry of Regional Development of the Czech Republic