Future Living about to be launched
70 flats with future-oriented technical equipment
“General interest in our cross-generational Living Labs is keen,“ declares Klaus D. Krebs, satisfied. The architect from Berlin is responsible for the project “Future Living Berlin“ which is being developed at the northern tip of Adlershof’s new “Wohnen am Campus“ district. The basic idea pursued by Krebs and his consortium of the same name is that of a future living concept exhausting all possibilities of modern energy and housing technology to meet the various demands of the residents.
70 flats are being built as Living Labs, supplemented by an innovation and vistors’ centre. These modern Living Labs will feature future-oriented technical equipment – so-called AAL systems (“Ambient Assisted Living“) allowing for self-determined living at all ages. Krebs’s examples of some of the applications include floor covering with integrated sensor technology able to determine whether a resident has fallen and, if so, notify potential helpers; or intelligent mirrors reminding residents of upcoming doctor’s appointments or their daily dose of medication by displaying personalised data like a type of “head up display“. However, these innovative multi-dimensional communication systems will ultimately be controlled by their respective users.
AAL hotel for testing
The assistence systems will be constantly updated through the processing of data from test flats. The results will then be gathered and evaluated in the information and vistors’ centre. Moreover, the systems can be viewed, bought or borrowed for testing. Those who prefer to try out the technical equipment before deciding to move into a Living Lab can do so in the planned AAL hotel.
Living in one of the Labs is actually less costly than one might expect. “The 70 rental units to be created at the corner of Groß-Berliner Damm and Hermann- Dorner-Allee will be offered at a rent for less than 10 Euro per square metres,“ Krebs explains. Despite the elaborate facilities, this price is calculated by building contractor GSW Sigmaringen, a 100 percent subsidiary of the large social community VdK Baden-Württemberg widely experienced in building and financing social service providers or student dorms. As planning studies have been completed by now, the scope of the technical equipment as well as the budget have been determined.
A building period of roughly two years
Purchase negotiations with Adlershof Projekt GmbH as well as concurrent funding discussions have been under way since spring of 2013. All in all, Krebs expects a building period of roughly two years before the first residents can move in and the innovation and visitors’ centre will start operating. “Our project combines living with state-of-the-art technology, practical experience, and research. Just appropriate for a place like Adlershof“, Krebs concludes.
By Klaus Oberzig for Adlershof Special